WorldWideScience

Sample records for cycle reconversion stage

  1. Combating land degradation: the potential of soil reconversion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tobias, Silvia; Conen, Franz; Duss, Adrian; Wenzel, Leonore; Buser, Christine; Alewell, Christine

    2017-04-01

    Land degradation is usually not seen as a major problem in industrialised countries, although continuous soil sealing for human settlements and infrastructure entails the loss of agricultural land, landscape fragmentation and the loss of natural habitats. In many European countries, land-take on greenfields is unbowed, while, at the same time, there is a considerable number of unused brownfields, like abandoned rail yards and industrial or military sites. In addition, many new by-pass roads have been constructed to take up the volume of traffic and unburden the towns and villages from traffic emissions, but the old roads are rarely downgraded or reconverted and risk being used as shortcuts. Today the sealed area exceeds the requirements of the current generation and contributes to degraded land with heavily disturbed soil-borne ecosystem services. Soil reconversion, i.e. replacing a sealed surface with soil to restore ecosystem services, could mitigate this unsustainable trend that restricts the options of future generations. This contribution discusses the potential and challenges of soil reconversion to reduce net soil loss. The expanses of brownfield area vary between countries, whereas the rate of new soil sealing is still high in most countries and soil reconversion should be considered more. Our research revealed that the current techniques enable successful restoration of agricultural soils and pioneer habitats on site. However, reconverting single small areas can hardly mitigate landscape fragmentation at a regional scale. The same principle prevails as for soil sealing, but in the inverse way: the benefit of soil reconversion may appear small for single cases, but in the sum soil reconversion might be effective. Today, many brownfield areas stay sealed because of economic and political reasons, or because the potential benefit from restoring ecosystem services at these brownfield sites is not known. We developed a mapping approach to assess the potential

  2. The liquidity of the Organic movement - reconversion or reillumination

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Niels Heine

    2005-01-01

    Kristensen NH (2005): The liquidity of the Organic movement - reconversion or reillumination. Paper presented at Working Group 5 at the XXI Congress of the ESRS 22-27 August, 2005 Keszthely, Hungary......Kristensen NH (2005): The liquidity of the Organic movement - reconversion or reillumination. Paper presented at Working Group 5 at the XXI Congress of the ESRS 22-27 August, 2005 Keszthely, Hungary...

  3. Pitched blade impeller - an option for mixing in continuous actinide reconversion process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tripathi, V.M.; Suresh Kumar, K.; Sreekumar, G.; Sugilal, G.

    2016-01-01

    In nuclear fuel cycle, current methodology for Pu reconversion involves Pu(IV)-oxalate precipitation as a semi continuous/batch process mode for a predetermined volume of Pu(NO 3 ) 4 solution in a long single column with a marine propeller type stirrer. In this process the slurry is being drained from bottom of the vessel leading to a possibility of accumulation of precipitate in the vessel which is an unfavorable condition for continuous process. As continuous reconversion process is a requirement to meet high through put of reprocessing plants, the conventional process has to be improvised with reference to its slurry exit point through overflow line. Although marine propeller type stirrer ensures an axial flow, it is not a choice for uniform solid suspension in a reactor vessel. A better alternate for complete suspension of solid in tall reactor is pitched blade turbine. Moreover pitched blade impellers are effective in low bottom clearance which ensures a thorough mixing of reactants. Present study focuses on feasibility of pitched blade impeller for mixing of reactants in a continuous actinide oxalate precipitation reactor with over flow line

  4. Process improvement of reconversion facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, J. H.; Chang, I. S.; Kim, E. H.; Kim, T. J.; Jeong, K. C.; Woo, M. S.; Hong, S. B.; Choi, J. H.; Chung, W. M.; Lee, K. I.; Hwang, D. S.; Kim, Y. W.; Kim, Y. K.; Choi, C. S.

    1993-01-01

    The project is for the development of recovery and reusing process of ammonium carbonate(AC) which is generated as a waste liquid from the reconversion facilities to reduce the manufacturing cost and the quantity of the waste liquid, and also for the development of the continuous fludized bed reaction process to promote the economics and safeties of the calcination and reduction process. In this second year report, measured the properties of AC solution and analyzed the AC concentration quantitatively. Examined the properties of AUC to investigate the properties of UO 2 powder which was converted from AUC, prepared with AC solution. Designed and installed the 2 tons-U/year pilot plant. Experimented in powder properties to set up the range of operating conditions. Modeled CFB reactor to estimate the conversion of reactor and to analyze the change of fluorine concentration to carry out the defluorination reaction. Experimented out the optimum conditions of the major operating parameters : solid circulation rate, gas velocity, solid holdup and initial inventory in cold bed to get the referential design data for hot bed. (Author)

  5. Chemical treatment of ammonium fluoride solution in uranium reconversion plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carvalho Frajndlich, E.U. de.

    1992-01-01

    A chemical procedure is described for the treatment of the filtrate, produced from the transformation of uranium hexafluoride (U F 6 ) into ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC). This filtrate is an intermediate product in the U F 6 to uranium dioxide (U O 2 ) reconversion process. The described procedure recovers uranium as ammonium peroxide fluoro uranate (APOFU) by precipitation with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and as later step, its calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ) co-precipitation. The recovered uranium is recycled to the AUC production plant. (author)

  6. UF6 reconversion experience by means of Sumitomo ADU process at JCO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, H.; Yamazaki, N.

    1994-01-01

    Since 1973, Japan Nuclear Fuel Conversion Co., Ltd. (JCO), a leading company in Japan on nuclear fuel manufacturing, has been involved in UF 6 reconversion to ceramic grade uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) for LWR fuel by means of the original ADU process developed by Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.. This paper deals with the details of the Sumitomo ADU process as well as the performance results of it, especially from the standpoint of product quality

  7. Ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC) based process of simultaneous partitioning and reconversion for uranium and plutonium in fast breeder reactors (FBRs) fuel reprocessing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Govindan, P.; Palamalai, A.; Vijayan, K.S.; Subba Rao, R.V.; Venkataraman, M.; Natarajan, R.

    2013-01-01

    Ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC) based process of simultaneous partitioning and reconversion for uranium and plutonium is developed for the recovery of uranium and plutonium present in spent fuel of fast breeder reactors (FBRs). Effect of pH on the solubility of carbonates of uranium and plutonium in ammonium carbonate medium is studied. Effect of mole ratios of uranium and plutonium as a function of uranium and plutonium concentration at pH 8.0-8.5 for effective separation of uranium and plutonium to each other is studied. Feasibility of reconversion of plutonium in carbonate medium is also studied. The studies indicate that uranium is selectively precipitated as AUC at pH 8.0-8.5 by adding ammonium carbonate solution leaving plutonium in the filtrate. Plutonium in the filtrate after acidified with concentrated nitric acid could also be precipitated as carbonate at pH 6.5-7.0 by adding ammonium carbonate solution. A flow sheet is proposed and evaluated for partitioning and reconversion of uranium and plutonium simultaneously in the FBR fuel reprocessing. (author)

  8. Treatment of effluents from the nuclear fuel cycle reconversion stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ladeira, Ana C.Q.; Morais, Carlos A.; Goncalves, Joao S.; Souza, Pedro de

    2007-01-01

    The conversion of uranium hexafluoride (UF 6 ) into uranium dioxide (UO 2 ) takes place in Resende (RJ) at the Nuclear Fuel Factory - FCN. The process generates liquid effluents with significant concentrations of uranium which might be treated before being discharged into the environment. This work is aimed at the recovery of uranium from two distinct liquid effluents; one with high carbonate content and the other with elevated fluoride concentration. It is also presented a study about carbonate removal from an effluent that consists of water - methanol solution generated during the filtration step of the ammonium uranyl tricarbonate (AUT). The results showed that (1) the uranium from the carbonated solution can be recovered through the ion exchange technique using the strong base anionic resin IRA 910-U since carbonate has been removed as CO 2 after heating; (2) the most suitable technique to recover uranium from the fluoride solution is by precipitation as (NH 4 ) 2 UO 4 F 2 - ammonium fluorouranate peroxide (APOFU), (3) the solution free of carbonate can be added to the fluoride solution and the uranium from the final solution can be recovered by precipitation as ammonium fluorouranate peroxide as well; (4) the carbonate from the water-methanol solution can be recovered as calcium carbonate through the addition of calcium chloride or it can be removed through the addition of sulfuric acid. The product formed by adding sulfuric acid is ammonium sulfate and might be used as fertilizer. (author)

  9. Thermodynamic analysis of single-stage and multi-stage adsorption refrigeration cycles with activated carbon–ammonia working pair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, S.Z.; Wang, L.W.; Wang, R.Z.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Activated carbon–ammonia multi-stage adsorption refrigerator was analyzed. • COP, exergetic efficiency and entropy production of cycles were calculated. • Single-stage cycle usually has the advantages of simple structure and high COP. • Multi-stage cycles adapt to critical conditions better than single-stage cycle. • Boundary conditions for choosing optimal cycle were summarized as tables. - Abstract: Activated carbon–ammonia multi-stage adsorption refrigeration cycle was analyzed in this article, which realized deep-freezing for evaporating temperature under −18 °C with heating source temperature much lower than 100 °C. Cycle mathematical models for single, two and three-stage cycles were established on the basis of thorough thermodynamic analysis. According to simulation results of thermodynamic evaluation indicators such as COP (coefficient of performance), exergetic efficiency and cycle entropy production, multi-stage cycle adapts to high condensing temperature, low evaporating temperature and low heating source temperature well. Proposed cycle with selected working pair can theoretically work under very severe conditions, such as −25 °C evaporating temperature, 40 °C condensing temperature, and 70 °C heating source temperature, but under these working conditions it has the drawback of low cycle adsorption quantity. It was found that both COP and exergetic efficiency are of great reference value in the choice of cycle, whereas entropy production is not so useful for cycle stage selection. Finally, the application boundary conditions of single-stage, two-stage, and three-stage cycles were summarized as tables according to the simulation results, which provides reference for choosing optimal cycle under different conditions.

  10. Development of a reconversion method for uranyl nitrate to oxide in the reconversion step of reprocessing of irradiated fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Govindan, P.; Palamalai, A.; Vijayan, K.S.; Subbuthai, S.; Murugesan, S.; Mohan, S.V.; Subba Rao, R.V.

    2002-01-01

    Ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC) precipitation is developed for the conversion of uranyl nitrate to oxide in the uranium reconversion step of reprocessing of irradiated fuel by the addition of ammonium carbonate salt. Different precipitation conditions of AUC are studied. The solubility of AUC as a function of uranium concentration in the feed at different temperatures using ammonium carbonate salt as precipitant is studied. This study indicates that 95-99.8% of uranium is recovered as AUC by precipitating 5-125 g/l of uranium with loss of uranium (250-10 ppm) in the filtrate by adding ammonium carbonate salt. It is also observed that the solubility of AUC increased as the concentration of uranium decreased. Thermal decomposition is carried out by thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and evolved gas analysis-mass spectrometry (EGA-MS) to find out AUC decomposition and gases evolved during decomposition. Studies are also carried out to characterize AUC by using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The data show that AUC obtained by the above conditions is very much consistent with published information. (author)

  11. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Using Double-Stage Rankine Cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasuyuki Ikegami

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC using non-azeotropic mixtures such as ammonia/water as working fluid and the multistage cycle has been investigated in order to improve the thermal efficiency of the cycle because of small ocean temperature differences. The performance and effectiveness of the multistage cycle are barely understood. In addition, previous evaluation methods of heat exchange process cannot clearly indicate the influence of the thermophysical characteristics of the working fluid on the power output. Consequently, this study investigated the influence of reduction of the irreversible losses in the heat exchange process on the system performance in double-stage Rankine cycle using pure working fluid. Single Rankine, double-stage Rankine and Kalina cycles were analyzed to ascertain the system characteristics. The simple evaluation method of the temperature difference between the working fluid and the seawater is applied to this analysis. From the results of the parametric performance analysis it can be considered that double-stage Rankine cycle using pure working fluid can reduce the irreversible losses in the heat exchange process as with the Kalina cycle using an ammonia/water mixture. Considering the maximum power efficiency obtained in the study, double-stage Rankine and Kalina cycles can improve the power output by reducing the irreversible losses in the cycle.

  12. Comparative myoanatomy of cycliophoran life cycle stages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Neves, Ricardo C.; Cunha, Maria R.; Funch, Peter

    2010-01-01

    The metazoan phylum Cycliophora includes small cryptic epibionts that live attached to the mouthparts of clawed lobsters. The life cycle is complex, with alternating sexual and asexual generations, and involves several sessile and free-living stages. So far, the morphological and genetic characte......The metazoan phylum Cycliophora includes small cryptic epibionts that live attached to the mouthparts of clawed lobsters. The life cycle is complex, with alternating sexual and asexual generations, and involves several sessile and free-living stages. So far, the morphological and genetic...

  13. The hybrid two stage anticlockwise cycle for ecological energy conversion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cyklis Piotr

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The anticlockwise cycle is commonly used for refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps applications. The application of refrigerant in the compression cycle is within the temperature limits of the triple point and the critical point. New refrigerants such as 1234yf or 1234ze have many disadvantages, therefore natural refrigerants application is favourable. The carbon dioxide and water can be applied only in the hybrid two stages cycle. The possibilities of this solutions are shown for refrigerating applications, as well some experimental results of the adsorption-compression double stages cycle, powered with solar collectors are shown. As a high temperature cycle the adsorption system is applied. The low temperature cycle is the compression stage with carbon dioxide as a working fluid. This allows to achieve relatively high COP for low temperature cycle and for the whole system.

  14. Final Report on Two-Stage Fast Spectrum Fuel Cycle Options

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Won Sik; Lin, C. S.; Hader, J. S.; Park, T. K.; Deng, P.; Yang, G.; Jung, Y. S.; Kim, T. K.; Stauff, N. E.

    2016-01-01

    This report presents the performance characteristics of two ''two-stage'' fast spectrum fuel cycle options proposed to enhance uranium resource utilization and to reduce nuclear waste generation. One is a two-stage fast spectrum fuel cycle option of continuous recycle of plutonium (Pu) in a fast reactor (FR) and subsequent burning of minor actinides (MAs) in an accelerator-driven system (ADS). The first stage is a sodium-cooled FR fuel cycle starting with low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel; at the equilibrium cycle, the FR is operated using the recovered Pu and natural uranium without supporting LEU. Pu and uranium (U) are co-extracted from the discharged fuel and recycled in the first stage, and the recovered MAs are sent to the second stage. The second stage is a sodium-cooled ADS in which MAs are burned in an inert matrix fuel form. The discharged fuel of ADS is reprocessed, and all the recovered heavy metals (HMs) are recycled into the ADS. The other is a two-stage FR/ADS fuel cycle option with MA targets loaded in the FR. The recovered MAs are not directly sent to ADS, but partially incinerated in the FR in order to reduce the amount of MAs to be sent to the ADS. This is a heterogeneous recycling option of transuranic (TRU) elements

  15. Final Report on Two-Stage Fast Spectrum Fuel Cycle Options

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Won Sik [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Lin, C. S. [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Hader, J. S. [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Park, T. K. [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Deng, P. [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Yang, G. [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Jung, Y. S. [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Kim, T. K. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Stauff, N. E. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

    2016-01-30

    This report presents the performance characteristics of two “two-stage” fast spectrum fuel cycle options proposed to enhance uranium resource utilization and to reduce nuclear waste generation. One is a two-stage fast spectrum fuel cycle option of continuous recycle of plutonium (Pu) in a fast reactor (FR) and subsequent burning of minor actinides (MAs) in an accelerator-driven system (ADS). The first stage is a sodium-cooled FR fuel cycle starting with low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel; at the equilibrium cycle, the FR is operated using the recovered Pu and natural uranium without supporting LEU. Pu and uranium (U) are co-extracted from the discharged fuel and recycled in the first stage, and the recovered MAs are sent to the second stage. The second stage is a sodium-cooled ADS in which MAs are burned in an inert matrix fuel form. The discharged fuel of ADS is reprocessed, and all the recovered heavy metals (HMs) are recycled into the ADS. The other is a two-stage FR/ADS fuel cycle option with MA targets loaded in the FR. The recovered MAs are not directly sent to ADS, but partially incinerated in the FR in order to reduce the amount of MAs to be sent to the ADS. This is a heterogeneous recycling option of transuranic (TRU) elements

  16. Validity And Reliability Of The Stages Cycling Power Meter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granier, Cyril; Hausswirth, Christophe; Dorel, Sylvain; Yann, Le Meur

    2017-09-06

    This study aimed to determine the validity and the reliability of the Stages power meter crank system (Boulder, United States) during several laboratory cycling tasks. Eleven trained participants completed laboratory cycling trials on an indoor cycle fitted with SRM Professional and Stages systems. The trials consisted of an incremental test at 100W, 200W, 300W, 400W and four 7s sprints. The level of pedaling asymmetry was determined for each cycling intensity during a similar protocol completed on a Lode Excalibur Sport ergometer. The reliability of Stages and SRM power meters was compared by repeating the incremental test during a test-retest protocol on a Cyclus 2 ergometer. Over power ranges of 100-1250W the Stages system produced trivial to small differences compared to the SRM (standardized typical error values of 0.06, 0.24 and 0.08 for the incremental, sprint and combined trials, respectively). A large correlation was reported between the difference in power output (PO) between the two systems and the level of pedaling asymmetry (r=0.58, p system according to the level of pedaling asymmetry provided only marginal improvements in PO measures. The reliability of the Stages power meter at the sub-maximal intensities was similar to the SRM Professional model (coefficient of variation: 2.1 and 1.3% for Stages and SRM, respectively). The Stages system is a suitable device for PO measurements, except when a typical error of measurement power ranges of 100-1250W is expected.

  17. Life cycle analysis in preliminary design stages

    OpenAIRE

    Agudelo , Lina-Maria; Mejía-Gutiérrez , Ricardo; Nadeau , Jean-Pierre; PAILHES , Jérôme

    2014-01-01

    International audience; In a design process the product is decomposed into systems along the disciplinary lines. Each stage has its own goals and constraints that must be satisfied and has control over a subset of design variables that describe the overall system. When using different tools to initiate a product life cycle, including the environment and impacts, its noticeable that there is a gap in tools that linked the stages of preliminary design and the stages of materialization. Differen...

  18. Organizational Life Cycle and the Growth of Information Technology Stage Theory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jamshid Nazemi

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available : Organizations have the different patterns of behaviors on management practice and the use of systems during their life cycle and due to rapid growth of information technology, the application of appropriate technologies is becoming an essential part of business, as well. The adaptation of appropriate management systems on different stages of organizational life period will affect on sustainability of the firms and success to move to next stage and alignment and collaboration schema of IS/IT and business requirement affects on management effectiveness at every stage. This research investigated the significance of relationship between management behavior and IS/IT usage and the generic approach selected by companies. The results showed that organizations have chosen different approach during their life cycle and as they faced with unique challenges on each stage, a common practice on using information technology and applications became part of organizational life cycle. A generic model for information technology usage on organization life cycle was also developed that will assist organizations to select and develop IS/IT plans which addresses the requirements for each stage of life cycle.

  19. The genetic covariance between life cycle stages separated by metamorphosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguirre, J David; Blows, Mark W; Marshall, Dustin J

    2014-08-07

    Metamorphosis is common in animals, yet the genetic associations between life cycle stages are poorly understood. Given the radical changes that occur at metamorphosis, selection may differ before and after metamorphosis, and the extent that genetic associations between pre- and post-metamorphic traits constrain evolutionary change is a subject of considerable interest. In some instances, metamorphosis may allow the genetic decoupling of life cycle stages, whereas in others, metamorphosis could allow complementary responses to selection across the life cycle. Using a diallel breeding design, we measured viability at four ontogenetic stages (embryo, larval, juvenile and adult viability), in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis and examined the orientation of additive genetic variation with respect to the metamorphic boundary. We found support for one eigenvector of G: (gobsmax ), which contrasted larval viability against embryo viability and juvenile viability. Target matrix rotation confirmed that while gobsmax shows genetic associations can extend beyond metamorphosis, there is still considerable scope for decoupled phenotypic evolution. Therefore, although genetic associations across metamorphosis could limit that range of phenotypes that are attainable, traits on either side of the metamorphic boundary are capable of some independent evolutionary change in response to the divergent conditions encountered during each life cycle stage. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  20. Stage-by-Stage and Parallel Flow Path Compressor Modeling for a Variable Cycle Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopasakis, George; Connolly, Joseph W.; Cheng, Larry

    2015-01-01

    This paper covers the development of stage-by-stage and parallel flow path compressor modeling approaches for a Variable Cycle Engine. The stage-by-stage compressor modeling approach is an extension of a technique for lumped volume dynamics and performance characteristic modeling. It was developed to improve the accuracy of axial compressor dynamics over lumped volume dynamics modeling. The stage-by-stage compressor model presented here is formulated into a parallel flow path model that includes both axial and rotational dynamics. This is done to enable the study of compressor and propulsion system dynamic performance under flow distortion conditions. The approaches utilized here are generic and should be applicable for the modeling of any axial flow compressor design.

  1. Two-stage double-effect ammonia/lithium nitrate absorption cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ventas, R.; Lecuona, A.; Vereda, C.; Legrand, M.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A two stage double effect cycle with NH3-LiNO3 is proposed. • The cycle operates at lower pressures than conventional. • Adiabatic absorber offers better performance than the diabatic version. • Evaporator external inlet temperatures higher than −10 °C avoids crystallization. • Maximum COP is 1.25 for driving water inlet temperature of 100 C. - Abstract: The two-stage configuration of a double-effect absorption cycle using ammonia/lithium nitrate as working fluid is studied by means of a thermodynamic model. The maximum pressure of this cycle configuration is the same as the single-effect cycle, up to 15.8 bars, being an advantage over the double-effect conventional configuration with three pressure levels that exhibits much higher maximum pressure. The performance of the cycle and the limitation imposed by crystallization of the working fluid is determined for both adiabatic and diabatic absorber cycles. Both cycles offer similar COP; however the adiabatic variant shows a larger margin against crystallization. This cycle can produce cold for external inlet evaporator temperatures down to −10 °C, but for this limit the crystallization could happen at high inlet generator temperatures. The maximum COP can be 1.25 for an external inlet generator temperature of 100 °C. This cycle shows a better COP than a typical double effect cycle with in-parallel configuration for the range of the moderate temperatures under study and using the same working fluid. Comparisons with double effect cycles using H_2O/LiBr and NH_3/H_2O as working fluids are also offered, highlighting the present configurations advantages regarding COP, evaporation and condensation temperatures as well as crystallization.

  2. Impact of Life-Cycle Stage and Gender on the Ability to Balance Work and Family Responsibilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higgins, Christopher; And Others

    1994-01-01

    Examined impact of gender and life-cycle stage on three components of work-family conflict using sample of 3,616 respondents. For men, levels of work-family conflict were moderately lower in each successive life-cycle stage. For women, levels were similar in two early life-cycle stages but were significantly lower in later life-cycle stage.…

  3. Modelling of an air-cooled two-stage Rankine cycle for electricity production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Bo

    2014-01-01

    This work considers a two stage Rankine cycle architecture slightly different from a standard Rankine cycle for electricity generation. Instead of expanding the steam to extremely low pressure, the vapor leaves the turbine at a higher pressure then having a much smaller specific volume. It is thus possible to greatly reduce the size of the steam turbine. The remaining energy is recovered by a bottoming cycle using a working fluid which has a much higher density than the water steam. Thus, the turbines and heat exchangers are more compact; the turbine exhaust velocity loss is lower. This configuration enables to largely reduce the global size of the steam water turbine and facilitate the use of a dry cooling system. The main advantage of such an air cooled two stage Rankine cycle is the possibility to choose the installation site of a large or medium power plant without the need of a large and constantly available water source; in addition, as compared to water cooled cycles, the risk regarding future operations is reduced (climate conditions may affect water availability or temperature, and imply changes in the water supply regulatory rules). The concept has been investigated by EDF R and D. A 22 MW prototype was developed in the 1970's using ammonia as the working fluid of the bottoming cycle for its high density and high latent heat. However, this fluid is toxic. In order to search more suitable working fluids for the two stage Rankine cycle application and to identify the optimal cycle configuration, we have established a working fluid selection methodology. Some potential candidates have been identified. We have evaluated the performances of the two stage Rankine cycles operating with different working fluids in both design and off design conditions. For the most acceptable working fluids, components of the cycle have been sized. The power plant concept can then be evaluated on a life cycle cost basis. (author)

  4. Differences in pigmentation between life cycle stages in Scrippsiella lachrymosa (dinophyceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persson, Agneta; Smith, Barry C; Cyronak, Tyler; Cooper, Emily; DiTullio, Giacomo R

    2016-02-01

    Various life cycle stages of cyst-producing dinoflagellates often appear differently colored under the microscope; gametes appear paler while zygotes are darker in comparison to vegetative cells. To compare physiological and photochemical competency, the pigment composition of discrete life cycle stages was determined for the common resting cyst-producing dinoflagellate Scrippsiella lachrymosa. Vegetative cells had the highest cellular pigment content (25.2 ± 0.5 pg · cell(-1) ), whereas gamete pigment content was 22% lower. The pigment content of zygotes was 82% lower than vegetative cells, even though they appeared darker under the microscope. Zygotes of S. lachrymosa contained significantly higher cellular concentrations of β-carotene (0.65 ± 0.15 pg · cell(-1) ) than all other life stages. Photoprotective pigments and the de-epoxidation ratio of xanthophylls-cycle pigments in S. lachrymosa were significantly elevated in zygotes and cysts compared to other stages. This suggests a role for accessory pigments in combating intracellular oxidative stress during sexual reproduction or encystment. Resting cysts contained some pigments even though chloroplasts were not visible, suggesting that the brightly colored accumulation body contained photosynthetic pigments. The differences in pigmentation between life stages have implications for interpretation of pigment data from field samples when sampled during dinoflagellate blooms. © 2015 Phycological Society of America.

  5. ANALYSIS OF RISK FACTORS AT THE STAGE OF THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Skopenko

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The article outlines and summarizes the risks of enterprises at different stages of product life cycle. A diagnose and assess of risks according to the main stages of the product development are offered. Groups of factors that shape the economic risks at different stages of the product life cycle, by the possible negative consequences of their impact are formulated. To reduce the probable losses of the company and a reasonable assortment portfolio formation generalized classification of risks that are typical for any company is proposed.

  6. A stage-wise approach to exploring performance effects of cycle time reduction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eling, K.; Langerak, F.; Griffin, A.

    2013-01-01

    Research on reducing new product development (NPD) cycle time has shown that firms tend to adopt different cycle time reduction mechanisms for different process stages. However, the vast majority of previous studies investigating the relationship between new product performance and NPD cycle time

  7. Differential Editosome Protein Function between Life Cycle Stages of Trypanosoma brucei.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDermott, Suzanne M; Guo, Xuemin; Carnes, Jason; Stuart, Kenneth

    2015-10-09

    Uridine insertion and deletion RNA editing generates functional mitochondrial mRNAs in Trypanosoma brucei. The mRNAs are differentially edited in bloodstream form (BF) and procyclic form (PF) life cycle stages, and this correlates with the differential utilization of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation between the stages. The mechanism that controls this differential editing is unknown. Editing is catalyzed by multiprotein ∼20S editosomes that contain endonuclease, 3'-terminal uridylyltransferase, exonuclease, and ligase activities. These editosomes also contain KREPB5 and KREPA3 proteins, which have no functional catalytic motifs, but they are essential for parasite viability, editing, and editosome integrity in BF cells. We show here that repression of KREPB5 or KREPA3 is also lethal in PF, but the effects on editosome structure differ from those in BF. In addition, we found that point mutations in KREPB5 or KREPA3 differentially affect cell growth, editosome integrity, and RNA editing between BF and PF stages. These results indicate that the functions of KREPB5 and KREPA3 editosome proteins are adjusted between the life cycle stages. This implies that these proteins are involved in the processes that control differential editing and that the 20S editosomes differ between the life cycle stages. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  8. Thermodynamics analysis of a modified dual-evaporator CO2 transcritical refrigeration cycle with two-stage ejector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai, Tao; Yan, Gang; Yu, Jianlin

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, a modified dual-evaporator CO 2 transcritical refrigeration cycle with two-stage ejector (MDRC) is proposed. In MDRC, the two-stage ejector are employed to recover the expansion work from cycle throttling processes and enhance the system performance and obtain dual-temperature refrigeration simultaneously. The effects of some key parameters on the thermodynamic performance of the modified cycle are theoretically investigated based on energetic and exergetic analyses. The simulation results for the modified cycle show that two-stage ejector exhibits more effective system performance improvement than the single ejector in CO 2 dual-temperature refrigeration cycle, and the improvements of the maximum system COP (coefficient of performance) and system exergy efficiency could reach 37.61% and 31.9% over those of the conventional dual-evaporator cycle under the given operating conditions. The exergetic analysis for each component at optimum discharge pressure indicates that the gas cooler, compressor, two-stage ejector and expansion valves contribute main portion to the total system exergy destruction, and the exergy destruction caused by the two-stage ejector could amount to 16.91% of the exergy input. The performance characteristics of the proposed cycle show its promise in dual-evaporator refrigeration system. - Highlights: • Two-stage ejector is used in dual-evaporator CO 2 transcritical refrigeration cycle. • Energetic and exergetic methods are carried out to analyze the system performance. • The modified cycle could obtain dual-temperature refrigeration simultaneously. • Two-stage ejector could effectively improve system COP and exergy efficiency

  9. Monoclonal Antibodies to Intracellular Stages of Cryptosporidium parvum Define Life Cycle Progression In Vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilke, Georgia; Ravindran, Soumya; Funkhouser-Jones, Lisa; Barks, Jennifer; Wang, Qiuling; VanDussen, Kelli L; Stappenbeck, Thaddeus S; Kuhlenschmidt, Theresa B; Kuhlenschmidt, Mark S; Sibley, L David

    2018-06-27

    Among the obstacles hindering Cryptosporidium research is the lack of an in vitro culture system that supports complete life development and propagation. This major barrier has led to a shortage of widely available anti- Cryptosporidium antibodies and a lack of markers for staging developmental progression. Previously developed antibodies against Cryptosporidium were raised against extracellular stages or recombinant proteins, leading to antibodies with limited reactivity across the parasite life cycle. Here we sought to create antibodies that recognize novel epitopes that could be used to define intracellular development. We identified a mouse epithelial cell line that supported C. parvum growth, enabling immunization of mice with infected cells to create a bank of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against intracellular parasite stages while avoiding the development of host-specific antibodies. From this bank, we identified 12 antibodies with a range of reactivities across the parasite life cycle. Importantly, we identified specific MAbs that can distinguish different life cycle stages, such as trophozoites, merozoites, type I versus II meronts, and macrogamonts. These MAbs provide valuable tools for the Cryptosporidium research community and will facilitate future investigation into parasite biology. IMPORTANCE Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that causes gastrointestinal disease in humans and animals. Currently, there is a limited array of antibodies available against the parasite, which hinders imaging studies and makes it difficult to visualize the parasite life cycle in different culture systems. In order to alleviate this reagent gap, we created a library of novel antibodies against the intracellular life cycle stages of Cryptosporidium We identified antibodies that recognize specific life cycle stages in distinctive ways, enabling unambiguous description of the parasite life cycle. These MAbs will aid future investigation into Cryptosporidium biology and

  10. Alger : prospection de scénarii pour sa reconversion portuaire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bachir Khalil Aouissi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Algiers currently suffers from a very pronounced city/port separation, the negative consequences of this situation affect the daily life of the city, the urban interests of the city, mainly the comfort of the citizens, overlap with the economic interests of the port, because urban activity and port activity remain opposite in nature. Based on its conflicted situation between city and port, the purpose of this article is to prospect through a set of future city / port scenarios. Using the scenario method, this research is carried out in two parts, in a first phase, the aim is to understand the evolution and mutations of port cities considered standard on a global scale, on this basis, and in a second phase, the objective is to prospect the future urban-port of Algiers. Four scenarios for the future reconversion of the port of Algiers, in which Algiers could become one of the great world capitals, are discussed. In fine, the appropriate scenario could be the one that proposes the organization of a universal event such as the Olympic Games. This option remains very interesting and feasible because it will achieve all the goals to promote Algiers in a sustainable way and to put it back in competitiveness against its rivals and counterparts in Mediterranean metropolises.

  11. Dry uranium tetrafluoride process preparation using the uranium hexafluoride reconversion process effluents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva Neto, Joao Batista da

    2008-01-01

    It is a well known fact that the use of uranium tetrafluoride allows flexibility in the production of uranium suicide and uranium oxide fuel. To its obtention there are two conventional routes, the one which reduces uranium from the UF 6 hydrolysis solution with stannous chloride, and the hydro fluorination of a solid uranium dioxide. In this work we are introducing a third and a dry way route, mainly utilized to the recovery of uranium from the liquid effluents generated in the uranium hexafluoride reconversion process, at IPEN/CNEN-SP. Working in the liquid phase, this route comprises the recuperation of ammonium fluoride by NH 4 HF 2 precipitation. Working with the solid residues, the crystallized bifluoride is added to the solid UO 2 , which comes from the U mini plates recovery, also to its conversion in a solid state reaction, to obtain UF 4 . That returns to the process of metallic uranium production unity to the U 3 Si 2 obtention. This fuel is considered in IPEN CNEN/SP as the high density fuel phase for IEA-R1m reactor, which will replace the former low density U 3 Si 2 -Al fuel. (author)

  12. Signatures of natural selection between life cycle stages separated by metamorphosis in European eel

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pujolar, J.M.; Jacobsen, M.W.; Bekkevold, Dorte

    2015-01-01

    Species showing complex life cycles provide excellent opportunities to study the genetic associations between life cycle stages, as selective pressures may differ before and after metamorphosis. The European eel presents a complex life cycle with two metamorphoses, a first metamorphosis from larvae...... into glass eels (juvenile stage) and a second metamorphosis into silver eels (adult stage). We tested the hypothesis that different genes and gene pathways will be under selection at different life stages when comparing the genetic associations between glass eels and silver eels. Results: We used two sets...... of markers to test for selection: first, we genotyped individuals using a panel of 80 coding-gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) developed in American eel; second, we investigated selection at the genome level using a total of 153,423 RAD-sequencing generated SNPs widely distributed across the genome...

  13. Resistance Torque Based Variable Duty-Cycle Control Method for a Stage II Compressor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Meipeng; Zheng, Shuiying

    2017-07-01

    The resistance torque of a piston stage II compressor generates strenuous fluctuations in a rotational period, and this can lead to negative influences on the working performance of the compressor. To restrain the strenuous fluctuations in the piston stage II compressor, a variable duty-cycle control method based on the resistance torque is proposed. A dynamic model of a stage II compressor is set up, and the resistance torque and other characteristic parameters are acquired as the control targets. Then, a variable duty-cycle control method is applied to track the resistance torque, thereby improving the working performance of the compressor. Simulated results show that the compressor, driven by the proposed method, requires lower current, while the rotating speed and the output torque remain comparable to the traditional variable-frequency control methods. A variable duty-cycle control system is developed, and the experimental results prove that the proposed method can help reduce the specific power, input power, and working noise of the compressor to 0.97 kW·m-3·min-1, 0.09 kW and 3.10 dB, respectively, under the same conditions of discharge pressure of 2.00 MPa and a discharge volume of 0.095 m3/min. The proposed variable duty-cycle control method tracks the resistance torque dynamically, and improves the working performance of a Stage II Compressor. The proposed variable duty-cycle control method can be applied to other compressors, and can provide theoretical guidance for the compressor.

  14. Life-cycle stages of Dinophysis acuminata (Dinophyceae) in the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Despite many observations of different life-cycle stages of Dinophysis species, the complete life history of the genus is still unknown owing to the difficulties encountered in culturing these species. The seasonal distribution of D. acuminata was followed at two offshore stations in the brackish Baltic Sea by means of in situ ...

  15. Cost Accounting of Venture Company Depending on the Stage of Its Life Cycle

    OpenAIRE

    Olha Usatenko

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the article is to identify groups of costs that are inherent in life-cycle stages of venture companies and which directly are the objects of accounting. The author distinguishes stages of the life cycle of the venture company with an indication of the degree of risk and the need for venture capital, which determine the accounting tasks required to reflect it. The model of lifecycle accounting of venture company is grounded. The conventional range of expected return on the inves...

  16. Cycle Commuting and Perceptions of Barriers: Stages of Change, Gender and Occupation

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Bekkum, Jennifer E.; Williams, Joanne M.; Morris, Paul Graham

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate perceptions of cycle commuting barriers in relation to stage of change, gender and occupational role. Stage of change is a key construct of the transtheoretical model of behaviour change that defines behavioural readiness (intentions and actions) into five distinct categories.…

  17. Performance analysis of a potassium-steam two stage vapour cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitachi, Kohshi; Saito, Takeshi

    1983-01-01

    It is an important subject to raise the thermal efficiency in thermal power plants. In present thermal power plants which use steam cycle, the plant thermal efficiency has already reached 41 to 42 %, steam temperature being 839 K, and steam pressure being 24.2 MPa. That is, the thermal efficiency in a steam cycle is facing a limit. In this study, analysis was made on the performance of metal vapour/steam two-stage Rankine cycle obtained by combining a metal vapour cycle with a present steam cycle. Three different combinations using high temperature potassium regenerative cycle and low temperature steam regenerative cycle, potassium regenerative cycle and steam reheat and regenerative cycle, and potassium bleed cycle and steam reheat and regenerative cycle were systematically analyzed for the overall thermal efficiency, the output ratio and the flow rate ratio, when the inlet temperature of a potassium turbine, the temperature of a potassium condenser, and others were varied. Though the overall thermal efficiency was improved by lowering the condensing temperature of potassium vapour, it is limited by the construction because the specific volume of potassium in low pressure section increases greatly. In the combinatipn of potassium vapour regenerative cycle with steam regenerative cycle, the overall thermal efficiency can be 58.5 %, and also 60.2 % if steam reheat and regenerative cycle is employed. If a cycle to heat steam with the bled vapor out of a potassium vapour cycle is adopted, the overall thermal efficiency of 63.3 % is expected. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

  18. Role of Peripheral Alpha2 Adrenergic Receptors in Tonic Pain During Different Stages of Estrous Cycle in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    AR Abyazi Shelmani

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Estrogen and progesterone are supposed to modify pain sensitivity. However, the actual role of each of these steroid hormones in this respect is not well known. Plasma concentrations of these hormones show variation during estrous cycle. The role of alpha2 receptors in tonic pain has been pointed out. The aim of the present study was to investigate the agonist and antagonist effect of alpha2 adrenergic receptors on tonic pain sensitivity during all stages of estrous cycle in female rats. Methods: Xylasine as alpha2 agonist and yohimbin as alpha2 antagonist were used via intraperitoneal route (IP. Adult rats weighing 180-200 grams were used. Animals were maintained on 12h reverse light/dark cycle for 7 days prior to the experiment. Water and food was available ad libitum. Formalin test was performed by subcutaneous injection of 50 l formalin (2.5% solution into the hind paw. Formalin test was performed in all stages of estrous cycle for 60 minutes. Animals were divided into four groups; 1- control group (intact animal, 2- Sham group (animals received 0.2 ml normal saline by IP route, 3- Agonist groups (animals received 0.2 ml xylasine 1, 3 mg/kg body weight by IP route and 4- Antagonist group (animals received 0.2 ml yohimbine 1, 3 mg/kg body weight by IP route. Data were statistically analyzed using 2 way ANOVA test followed by Tukey's test as post-hoc test. P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Results showed that xylasine significantly (p<0.05 decreases pain sensitivity in all stages of estrous cycle. Analgesic effect of xylasine was maximum in estrus stage of estrous cycle and minimum in metestrus stage of estrous cycle. Yohimbine significantly (p<0.05 increases pain sensitivity in all stages of estrous cycle. Hyperalgesic effect of yohimbine was maximum in metestrus stage of estrous cycle and minimum in estrus stage of estrous cycle. Conclusion: These results indicate that alpha2 adrenergic system and endogenous

  19. EFFECTIVENESS OF STATE-DRIVEN PRODUCTIVE RECONVERSION: A CASE STUDY OF THE SHIFT ON PRODUCTION MATRIX IN ECUADOR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pablo Aníbal Beltrán Romero

    2017-08-01

    This paper has the aim of analysing productive structure of the Ecuadorian economy during the period 2000-2014. We calculated the industrial production comparing the GVA (Gross Value Added on the basis of the Supply-Use Table, seeking thereby to identify improvements in the performance of the strategic sectors according to what is expected in production matrix change state-driven plan.  Then, we determine, if any, increases in the supply chains, based on analysis of the technical coefficients, obtained from the Input-Output Matrices for the years 2007 and 2014. Using this framework, results suggest that in the case of the Ecuador, changes in inter-sectoral linkages are still weak. This despite the fact that is in force a system of policies to promote the process of productive reconversion, which apparently is not giving the outcomes expected by the Government.

  20. Signatures of natural selection between life cycle stages separated by metamorphosis in European eel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pujolar, J M; Jacobsen, M W; Bekkevold, D; Lobón-Cervià, J; Jónsson, B; Bernatchez, L; Hansen, M M

    2015-08-13

    Species showing complex life cycles provide excellent opportunities to study the genetic associations between life cycle stages, as selective pressures may differ before and after metamorphosis. The European eel presents a complex life cycle with two metamorphoses, a first metamorphosis from larvae into glass eels (juvenile stage) and a second metamorphosis into silver eels (adult stage). We tested the hypothesis that different genes and gene pathways will be under selection at different life stages when comparing the genetic associations between glass eels and silver eels. We used two sets of markers to test for selection: first, we genotyped individuals using a panel of 80 coding-gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) developed in American eel; second, we investigated selection at the genome level using a total of 153,423 RAD-sequencing generated SNPs widely distributed across the genome. Using the RAD approach, outlier tests identified a total of 2413 (1.57%) potentially selected SNPs. Functional annotation analysis identified signal transduction pathways as the most over-represented group of genes, including MAPK/Erk signalling, calcium signalling and GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) signalling. Many of the over-represented pathways were related to growth, while others could result from the different conditions that eels inhabit during their life cycle. The observation of different genes and gene pathways under selection when comparing glass eels vs. silver eels supports the adaptive decoupling hypothesis for the benefits of metamorphosis. Partitioning the life cycle into discrete morphological phases may be overall beneficial since it allows the different life stages to respond independently to their unique selection pressures. This might translate into a more effective use of food and niche resources and/or performance of phase-specific tasks (e.g. feeding in the case of glass eels, migrating and reproducing in the case of silver eels).

  1. Land use reconversion in the drought-and aridity-affected areas in SW Romania (Bechet, Dolj County

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    IULIANA VIJULIE

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In the terms of current climate change, reconversion of land use in the drought-and aridityaffected south-western Romania, is an issue of utmost priority. Thus, the present study aim represents a diachronic analysis of the land use within the Bechet town area and proposes viable solutions for soil drought and aridity mitigation. Since 1989, uncontrolled and abusive logging affected the black locust forest areas, enabling the sand dunes expansion and causing ecological disturbance. The main research methods were: field observation, statistical-mathematical methods and GIS mapping. The analysis of topographic maps and orthophotographs in 1970 to 2008 revealed a very low spatial distribution of both the forest shelterbelts and shelterwoods. We proposed a reconstruction of these forest areas, which today can no longer perform their fundamental function of land protection, because of intensive degradation. The positive consequences on long term would be the mitigation of climate change impact and prevention of further land degradation.

  2. Microgravity effects on different stages of higher plant life cycle and completion of the seed-to-seed cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Micco, V; De Pascale, S; Paradiso, R; Aronne, G

    2014-01-01

    Human inhabitation of Space requires the efficient realisation of crop cultivation in bioregenerative life-support systems (BLSS). It is well known that plants can grow under Space conditions; however, perturbations of many biological phenomena have been highlighted due to the effect of altered gravity and its possible interactions with other factors. The mechanisms priming plant responses to Space factors, as well as the consequences of such alterations on crop productivity, have not been completely elucidated. These perturbations can occur at different stages of plant life and are potentially responsible for failure of the completion of the seed-to-seed cycle. After brief consideration of the main constraints found in the most recent experiments aiming to produce seeds in Space, we focus on two developmental phases in which the plant life cycle can be interrupted more easily than in others also on Earth. The first regards seedling development and establishment; we discuss reasons for slow development at the seedling stage that often occurs under microgravity conditions and can reduce successful establishment. The second stage comprises gametogenesis and pollination; we focus on male gamete formation, also identifying potential constraints to subsequent fertilisation. We finally highlight how similar alterations at cytological level can not only be common to different processes occurring at different life stages, but can be primed by different stress factors; such alterations can be interpreted within the model of 'stress-induced morphogenic response' (SIMR). We conclude by suggesting that a systematic analysis of all growth and reproductive phases during the plant life cycle is needed to optimise resource use in plant-based BLSS. © 2013 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  3. Reconversion of bone marrow in Gaucher disease treated with enzyme therapy documented by MR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allison, J.W.; James, C.A.; Arnold, G.L.; Stine, K.C.; Becton, D.L.; Bell, J.M.

    1998-01-01

    Background. Skeletal complications are responsible for significant morbidity in Gaucher patients. Plain radiographs have been unreliable in assessing bone marrow infiltration and activity. A way to assess bone marrow improvement is needed during enzyme therapy. Objective. The purpose of this paper is to assess the usefulness of MR in following improvement of abnormal bone marrow in Gaucher patients on enzyme therapy. Materials and methods. Three patients aged 2, 7, and 24 years underwent serial MR scans of the lower extremities before and during treatment with Alglucerase (two patients) and Imiglucerase (one patient). T1-weighted, T2-weighted, STIR and FSE T2-weighted images were utilized. Two patients were imaged after 16 months of therapy, and one patient was imaged after 6 months of therapy. Results. All patients had improvement in marrow signal consistent with partial reconversion to fatty marrow during treatment. The findings were more marked after prolonged therapy. T1-weighted images demonstrated findings most clearly. Conclusion. MR consistently showed improvement in marrow signal in Gaucher patients on enzyme therapy. As smaller doses of enzyme therapy are the trend, MR can be utilized to determine if therapy is effecting a change in the bone marrow. (orig.)

  4. Remote handling and automation in back end of fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nair, K.N.S.

    2010-01-01

    Full text: Indian nuclear programme is readying for a quantum leap and it is essential that technology is available for building advanced fuel recycle plants in the back end and for sustained operation of such plants. Remote technology and automation plays a big role to achieve this goal. With the introduction of advanced fuel cycles in indigenous programme and scenario of international cooperation it is essential to be ready with indigenous technology for meeting all challenges. Work has been progressing to develop locally support technology for remote handling and automation with good success. Essential RH tools such as master slave manipulators, power manipulators and hot cell viewing systems have been developed and commercial production has been established. Customised RH requirements for back end plants have been met and the designs have proven to be worthy for hot operations over the years. In the last few years stress has been on development of equipment and technology to meet the increasing demands of higher throughput plants. Substantial progress has been achieved in the head end and reconversion laboratory systems of reprocessing plants. Similarly successful efforts have also been made for establishing Thoria processing cells and also the RH in the reconversion operations. Custom designed equipment has been developed for decommissioning of ceramic melter, used glove boxes etc. Efforts are on hand to develop automated RH equipment for material handling in underground repositories. This paper aims at bringing out the theme based on some of our own experiences and some reports from plants in operation abroad. (author)

  5. Une expérience singulière A Singular Experience. The Process of Reconversion of High Level Athletes in France, in Fencing and Table Tennis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophie Javerlhiac

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Le sport est interrogé, ici, dans sa dimension probablement la plus valorisée par les médias : la reconversion des sportifs de haut niveau (SHN. Généralement, le discours est apologétique et vante la reconversion réussie des SHN les plus connus. Mais derrière les résultats glorieux et la médiatisation, se cache une face plus sombre : la précarisation d’anciens athlètes qui reste un sujet tabou. Les exemples ne manquent pourtant pas et prennent à revers bien des idées reçues sur la réussite sociale des SHN. La question de “l’après sport” s’avère pourtant souvent cruciale et difficile pour les athlètes des sports non professionnels ou moins médiatisés ou, tout simplement, pour ceux qui n’avaient rien prévu et qui ont dû stopper leur carrière de manière inopinée à la suite d’une blessure par exemple. La disqualification sociale (Paugam, 1991 est d’autant plus douloureuse à vivre que ce processus de marginalisation marque la fin d’un statut d’exception et s’accompagne de la construction d’une identité négative lorsque l’athlète éprouve des difficultés à s’insérer professionnellement. Le sport de haut niveau, qu’il soit professionnel ou non, médiatisé ou non, en raison tout à la fois de l’entre soi qui le caractérise et de l’attention qui est portée à ceux qui réussissent, ne prépare pas à résister au stigmate et la dimension ternaire de l’identité (Heinich, 1999 trouve ici un exemple “négativement” parfait.Sport is in question here, probably in its dimension most valued by the media : the reconversion of high level athletes (HLA. Generally, the speech is laudatory and praises the successful reconversion of the most famous HLA. But behind the glorious results and the media coverage lurks a darker side : the precarious situation of former athletes, which remains a taboo subject. Yet examples are not lacking and readily upset a good many commonly held notions on

  6. The optimum intermediate pressure of two-stages vapor compression refrigeration cycle for Air-Conditioning unit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambarita, H.; Sihombing, H. V.

    2018-03-01

    Vapor compression cycle is mainly employed as a refrigeration cycle in the Air-Conditioning (AC) unit. In order to save energy, the Coefficient of Performance (COP) of the need to be improved. One of the potential solutions is to modify the system into multi-stages vapor compression cycle. The suitable intermediate pressure between the high and low pressures is one of the design issues. The present work deals with the investigation of an optimum intermediate pressure of two-stages vapor compression refrigeration cycle. Typical vapor compression cycle that is used in AC unit is taken into consideration. The used refrigerants are R134a. The governing equations have been developed for the systems. An inhouse program has been developed to solve the problem. COP, mass flow rate of the refrigerant and compressor power as a function of intermediate pressure are plotted. It was shown that there exists an optimum intermediate pressure for maximum COP. For refrigerant R134a, the proposed correlations need to be revised.

  7. Discovery of HDAC inhibitors with potent activity against multiple malaria parasite life cycle stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Finn K; Sumanadasa, Subathdrage D M; Stenzel, Katharina; Duffy, Sandra; Meister, Stephan; Marek, Linda; Schmetter, Rebekka; Kuna, Krystina; Hamacher, Alexandra; Mordmüller, Benjamin; Kassack, Matthias U; Winzeler, Elizabeth A; Avery, Vicky M; Andrews, Katherine T; Kurz, Thomas

    2014-07-23

    In this work we investigated the antiplasmodial activity of a series of HDAC inhibitors containing an alkoxyamide connecting-unit linker region. HDAC inhibitor 1a (LMK235), previously shown to be a novel and specific inhibitor of human HDAC4 and 5, was used as a starting point to rapidly construct a mini-library of HDAC inhibitors using a straightforward solid-phase supported synthesis. Several of these novel HDAC inhibitors were found to have potent in vitro activity against asexual stage Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites. Representative compounds were shown to hyperacetylate P. falciparum histones and to inhibit deacetylase activity of recombinant PfHDAC1 and P. falciparum nuclear extracts. All compounds were also screened in vitro for activity against Plasmodium berghei exo-erythrocytic stages and selected compounds were further tested against late stage (IV and V) P. falciparum gametocytes. Of note, some compounds showed nanomolar activity against all three life cycle stages tested (asexual, exo-erythrocytic and gametocyte stages) and several compounds displayed significantly increased parasite selectivity compared to the reference HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). These data suggest that it may be possible to develop HDAC inhibitors that target multiple malaria parasite life cycle stages. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. The changes of stage distribution of seminiferous epithelium cycle and its correlations with Leydig cell stereological parameters in aging men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Rui; Zhu, Wei-Jie; Li, Jing; Gu, Yi-Qun

    2014-12-01

    To evaluate the changes of stage distribution of seminiferous epithelium cycle and its correlations with Leydig cell stereological parameters in aging men. Point counting method was used to analyze the stereological parameters of Leydig cells. The stage number of seminiferous epithelium cycle was calculated in the same testicular tissue samples which were used for Leydig cell stereological analysis. The aging group had shown more severe pathological changes as well as higher pathologic scores than the young group. Compared with the control group, the volume density (VV) and surface density (NA) of Leydig cells in the aging group were increased significantly. The stage number of seminiferous epithelium cycle in the aging group was decreased coincidently compared to the young group. Leydig cell Vv in the young group has a positive relationship with stages I, II, III, V and VI of seminiferous epithelium cycle, and Leydig cell NA and numerical density (NV) were positively related to stage IV. However, only the correlation between NV and stage II was found in the aging group. The stage number of seminiferous epithelium cycle was decreased in aging testes. Changes in the stage distribution in aging testes were related to the Leydig cell stereological parameters which presented as a sign of morphological changes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  9. The Life Cycle Completed. Extended Version with New Chapters on the Ninth Stage of Development by Joan M. Erikson.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erikson, Erik H.

    This expanded edition of a 1982 book by Erik Erikson summarizes his work on the stages of the human life cycle, including chapters on psychosexuality and the cycle of generations, major stages in psychosocial development, and ego and ethos. An additional chapter on the ninth stage sets forth his philosophy on old age--i.e. the 80s and 90s--and how…

  10. Treatment of Early-Stage Unfavorable Hodgkin Lymphoma: Efficacy and Toxicity of 4 Versus 6 Cycles of ABVD Chemotherapy With Radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gunther, Jillian R. [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Fanale, Michelle A. [Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Reddy, Jay P. [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Akhtari, Mani [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas (United States); Smith, Grace L.; Pinnix, Chelsea C.; Milgrom, Sarah A.; Yehia, Zeinab Abou; Allen, Pamela K.; Osborne, Eleanor M. [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Mawlawi, Osama [Department of Imaging Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Dabaja, Bouthaina S., E-mail: bdabaja@mdanderson.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States)

    2016-09-01

    Purpose: The German Hodgkin Study Group HD11 trial validated 4 cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy followed by involved field radiation therapy (IFRT) for early unfavorable Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. However, practitioners often recommend 6 cycles followed by RT, especially for bulky disease. We compared patient outcomes after treatment with 4 or 6 cycles of ABVD followed by RT (IFRT and involved site RT [ISRT]). Methods and Materials: We identified 128 patients treated for early unfavorable HL (GHSG criteria) between 2000 and 2013. Clinical outcomes (overall survival [OS] and freedom from relapse [FFR]) were estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Toxicities were evaluated. Results: The median follow-up time was 5.0 years. Patients received 4 (70 patients, 55%) or 6 (58 patients, 45%) cycles of chemotherapy. Bulky disease was present in 22 patients (31%; 0 stage IA, 3 stage IB, 19 stage IIA) of the 4-cycle group and 42 patients (72%; 5 stage IA, 3 stage IB, 34 stage IIA) of the 6-cycle group. For patients receiving 4 and 6 cycles, the 6-year OS was 100% and 97% (P=.35), respectively, and the 6 year FFR was 100% and 98% (P=.28), respectively. More patients received 6 cycles if they were treated before 2010 (HD11 report) (P=.01) and if they had bulky disease (P<.01). Sixty-eight percent of patients received ISRT. The 6-year FFR was 99% and 100% for patients receiving ISRT and IFRT, respectively (P=.58). More patients experienced bleomycin pulmonary toxicity in the 6-cycle group (20% vs 31%, P=.16). For patients with bulky disease, the 4-year FFR was similar with receipt of 4 (100%) or 6 (98%) cycles (P=.48) and IFRT (100%) or ISRT (98%) (P=.52). There were no deaths among patients with bulky disease. Conclusions: Patients with early unfavorable HL have excellent outcomes with 4 cycles of ABVD chemotherapy followed by ISRT. Six cycles of chemotherapy does not appear superior for disease control, even for bulky disease.

  11. Treatment of Early-Stage Unfavorable Hodgkin Lymphoma: Efficacy and Toxicity of 4 Versus 6 Cycles of ABVD Chemotherapy With Radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunther, Jillian R.; Fanale, Michelle A.; Reddy, Jay P.; Akhtari, Mani; Smith, Grace L.; Pinnix, Chelsea C.; Milgrom, Sarah A.; Yehia, Zeinab Abou; Allen, Pamela K.; Osborne, Eleanor M.; Mawlawi, Osama; Dabaja, Bouthaina S.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The German Hodgkin Study Group HD11 trial validated 4 cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy followed by involved field radiation therapy (IFRT) for early unfavorable Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. However, practitioners often recommend 6 cycles followed by RT, especially for bulky disease. We compared patient outcomes after treatment with 4 or 6 cycles of ABVD followed by RT (IFRT and involved site RT [ISRT]). Methods and Materials: We identified 128 patients treated for early unfavorable HL (GHSG criteria) between 2000 and 2013. Clinical outcomes (overall survival [OS] and freedom from relapse [FFR]) were estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Toxicities were evaluated. Results: The median follow-up time was 5.0 years. Patients received 4 (70 patients, 55%) or 6 (58 patients, 45%) cycles of chemotherapy. Bulky disease was present in 22 patients (31%; 0 stage IA, 3 stage IB, 19 stage IIA) of the 4-cycle group and 42 patients (72%; 5 stage IA, 3 stage IB, 34 stage IIA) of the 6-cycle group. For patients receiving 4 and 6 cycles, the 6-year OS was 100% and 97% (P=.35), respectively, and the 6 year FFR was 100% and 98% (P=.28), respectively. More patients received 6 cycles if they were treated before 2010 (HD11 report) (P=.01) and if they had bulky disease (P<.01). Sixty-eight percent of patients received ISRT. The 6-year FFR was 99% and 100% for patients receiving ISRT and IFRT, respectively (P=.58). More patients experienced bleomycin pulmonary toxicity in the 6-cycle group (20% vs 31%, P=.16). For patients with bulky disease, the 4-year FFR was similar with receipt of 4 (100%) or 6 (98%) cycles (P=.48) and IFRT (100%) or ISRT (98%) (P=.52). There were no deaths among patients with bulky disease. Conclusions: Patients with early unfavorable HL have excellent outcomes with 4 cycles of ABVD chemotherapy followed by ISRT. Six cycles of chemotherapy does not appear superior for disease control, even for bulky disease.

  12. The results of the vine varieties reconversion measures in the North-Eastern Romania / Résultats de la mesure de reconversion des cépages dans le Nord-Est de la Roumanie

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enia Florin-Alexandru

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The vine varieties reconversion measure is one of the many benefits that the Romania's integration to the European Union brings to the wine sector. This study aims to analyze the results of this measure during 2007–2015 in the Romania's North-East Region. From the Vineyard Plantation Register, the plots noble vine parcels of each department were divided into two groups: those who existed in the field in before and those converted during the period. The surface of each group was classified first, based on the color of the grapes and secondarily, based on the pair international varieties – non international varieties. The conversion affected 3 of 6 departments. In Iaşi, where the proportion of the surface of white grapes approach to 90% in 2006, the conversion was made whit white grapes (81.3% of the surface, and particularly whit 4 local varieties corresponding to the traditional assortment of the Cotnari vineyard. In Vaslui, the conversion was made particularly with white grape varieties, but below the proportion held in 2006, because the conversion was made whit a large area of rosé varieties (19.2% of the surface following the consumer demand. With the exception of Bacău, in the other two departments, the non-international and local varieties were used for the conversion.

  13. Organizational design configurations in the early stages of firm’s life cycle

    OpenAIRE

    Mosca, Luigi; Gianecchini, Martina; Campagnolo, Diego

    2017-01-01

    http://ocs.editorial.upv.es/index.php/CARMA/CARMA2016 Mosca, L.; Gianecchini, M.; Campagnolo, D. (2017). Organizational design configurations in the early stages of firm’s life cycle. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. doi:10.4995/CARMA2016.2015.3104. OCS

  14. Optimization of material flow in the nuclear fuel cycle using a cyclic multi-stage production-to-inventory model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DePorter, E.L.

    1977-01-01

    The nuclear fuel cycle is modelled as a cyclic, multi-stage production-to-inventory system. The objective is to meet a known deterministic demand for energy while minimizing acquisition, production, and inventory holding costs for all stages of the fuel cycle. The model allows for cyclic flow (feedback) of materials, material flow conversion factors at each stage, production lag times at each stage, and for escalating costs of uranium ore. It does not allow shortages to occur in inventories. The model is optimized by the application of the calculus of variations and specifically through recently developed theorems on the solution of functionals constrained by inequalities. The solution is a set of optimal cumulative production trajectories which define the stagewise production rates. Analysis of these production rates reveals the optimal nuclear fuel cycle costs and that inventories (stockpiles) occur in uranium fields, enriched uranium hexafluoride, and fabricated fuel assemblies. An analysis of the sensitivity of the model to variation in three important parameters is performed

  15. Small-molecule xenomycins inhibit all stages of the Plasmodium life cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erath, Jessey; Gallego-Delgado, Julio; Xu, Wenyue; Andriani, Grasiella; Tanghe, Scott; Gurova, Katerina V; Gudkov, Andrei; Purmal, Andrei; Rydkina, Elena; Rodriguez, Ana

    2015-03-01

    Widespread resistance to most antimalaria drugs in use has prompted the search for novel candidate compounds with activity against Plasmodium asexual blood stages to be developed for treatment. In addition, the current malaria eradication programs require the development of drugs that are effective against all stages of the parasite life cycle. We have analyzed the antimalarial properties of xenomycins, a novel subclass of small molecule compounds initially isolated for anticancer activity and similarity to quinacrine in biological effects on mammalian cells. In vitro studies show potent activity of Xenomycins against Plasmodium falciparum. Oral administration of xenomycins in mouse models result in effective clearance of liver and blood asexual and sexual stages, as well as effective inhibition of transmission to mosquitoes. These characteristics position xenomycins as antimalarial candidates with potential activity in prevention, treatment and elimination of this disease. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  16. Multi-stage versus single-stage inflation and deflation cycle for alternating low pressure air mattresses to prevent pressure ulcers in hospitalised patients: a randomised-controlled clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demarré, L; Beeckman, D; Vanderwee, K; Defloor, T; Grypdonck, M; Verhaeghe, S

    2012-04-01

    The duration and the amount of pressure and shear must be reduced in order to minimize the risk of pressure ulcer development. Alternating low pressure air mattresses with multi-stage inflation and deflation cycle of the air cells have been developed to relieve pressure by sequentially inflating and deflating the air cells. Evidence about the effectiveness of this type of mattress in clinical practice is lacking. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of an alternating low pressure air mattress that has a standard single-stage inflation and deflation cycle of the air cells with an alternating low pressure air mattress with multi-stage inflation and deflation cycle of the air cells. A randomised controlled trial was performed in a convenience sample of 25 wards in five hospitals in Belgium. In total, 610 patients were included and randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=298) or the control group (n=312). In the experimental group, patients were allocated to an alternating low pressure air mattress with multi-stage inflation and deflation cycle of the air cells. In the control group, patients were allocated to an alternating low pressure air mattress with a standard single-stage inflation and deflation cycle of the air cells. The outcome was defined as cumulative pressure ulcer incidence (Grade II-IV). An intention-to-treat analysis was performed. There was no significant difference in cumulative pressure ulcer incidence (Grade II-IV) between both groups (Exp.=5.7%, Contr.=5.8%, p=0.97). When patients developed a pressure ulcer, the median time was 5.0 days in the experimental group (IQR=3.0-8.5) and 8.0 days in the control group (IQR=3.0-8.5) (Mann-Whitney U-test=113, p=0.182). The probability to remain pressure ulcer free during the observation period in this trial did not differ significantly between the experimental group and the control group (log-rank χ(2)=0.013, df=1, p=0.911). An alternating low pressure air mattress with multi-stage inflation

  17. The Salmon Louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Copepoda: Caligidae life cycle has only two Chalimus stages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lars A Hamre

    Full Text Available Each year the salmon louse (Lepeophtheirussalmonis Krøyer, 1838 causes multi-million dollar commercial losses to the salmon farming industry world-wide, and strict lice control regimes have been put in place to reduce the release of salmon louse larvae from aquaculture facilities into the environment. For half a century, the Lepeophtheirus life cycle has been regarded as the only copepod life cycle including 8 post-nauplius instars as confirmed in four different species, including L. salmonis. Here we prove that the accepted life cycle of the salmon louse is wrong. By observations of chalimus larvae molting in incubators and by morphometric cluster analysis, we show that there are only two chalimus instars: chalimus 1 (comprising the former chalimus I and II stages which are not separated by a molt and chalimus 2 (the former chalimus III and IV stages which are not separated by a molt. Consequently the salmon louse life cycle has only six post-nauplius instars, as in other genera of caligid sea lice and copepods in general. These findings are of fundamental importance in experimental studies as well as for interpretation of salmon louse biology and for control and management of this economically important parasite.

  18. Immunohistochemical study of the expression of cell cycle regulating proteins at different stages of bladder cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Primdahl, Hanne; von der Maase, Hans; Sørensen, Flemming Brandt

    2002-01-01

    PURPOSE: The cell cycle is known to be deregulated in cancer. We therefore analyzed the expression of the cell cycle related proteins p21, p27, p16, Rb, and L-myc by immunohistochemical staining of bladder tumors.METHODS: The tissue material consisted of bladder tumors from three groups of patients......; group 1, 23 patients with recurrent stage Ta (non-invasive) tumors; group 2, 22 patients presenting at their first admission with T2-4 (muscle invasive) tumors; group 3, 24 patients who experienced disease progression from Ta or T1 (invasive in connective tissue) to a higher stage...

  19. Application of preference selection index method for decision making over the design stage of production system life cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajesh Attri

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The life cycle of production system shows the progress of production system from the inception to the termination of the system. During each stage, mainly in the design stage, certain strategic decisions have to be taken. These decisions are more complex as the decision makers have to assess a wide range of alternatives based on a set of conflicting criteria. As the decision making process is found to be unstructured, characterized by domain dependent knowledge, there is a need to apply an efficient multi-criteria decision making (MCDM tool to help the decision makers in making correct decisions. This paper explores the application of a novel MCDM method i.e. Preference selection index (PSI method to solve various decision-making problems that are generally encountered in the design stage of production system life cycle. To prove the potentiality, applicability and accuracy of PSI method in solving decision making problem during the design stage of production system life cycle, five examples are cited from the literature and are compared with the results obtained by the past researchers.

  20. The number of cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with prognosis of stage IIIc-IV high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xia; Deng, Fei; Lv, Mengmeng; Chen, Xiaoxiang

    2017-02-01

    No consensus exists on the number of chemotherapy cycles to be administered before and after interval debulking surgery (IDS) in patients with advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer. The present study aims to explore the optimal number of cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and post-operation chemotherapy to treat the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IIIc-IV high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HG-SOC). A total of 129 IIIc-IV stage HG-SOC cases were retrospectively analyzed. Cases were comprised of patients who underwent NAC followed by IDS and who achieved clinical complete response (CCR) at the end of primary therapy. Patients were recruited from the Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research between 1993 and 2013. Optimal IDS-associated factors were explored with logistic regression. The association between progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) duration, and covariates was assessed by Cox proportional hazards model and log-rank test. The median number of NAC cycle was 3 (range 1-8). CA-125 decreasing kinetics (p = 0.01) was independently associated with optimal IDS. CA-125 decreasing kinetics, optimal IDS, and NAC cycles was independently associated with OS (p cycles was shorter than those of patients who underwent cycles (12.3 versus 17.2 months). The PFS and OS of patients who underwent cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy post-IDS were shorter than those of patients who underwent ≥5 cycles (14.2 and 20.3 versus 21.2 and 28.8 months). NAC cycles, CA-125 decreasing kinetics, and optimal debulking are independently associated with the prognosis of patients with advanced stage HG-SOC who underwent NAC/IDS and achieved CCR. The number of administered NAC cycles should not exceed 4.

  1. A study on domino effect in nuclear fuel cycle facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bozzolan, Jean-Claude

    2006-01-01

    Accidents caused by domino effect are among the most severe accidents in the chemical and process industry. Although the destructive potential of these accidental scenarios is widely known, little attention has been paid to this problem in the technical literature and a complete methodology for quantitative assessment of domino accidents contribution to industrial risk is still lacking. The present study proposed a systematic procedure for the quantitative assessment of the risk caused by domino effect in chemical plants that are part of nuclear fuel cycle plants. This work is based on recent advances in the modeling of fire and explosion damage to process equipment due to different escalation vectors (heat radiation, overpressure and fragment projection). Available data from literature and specific vulnerability models derived for several categories of process equipment had been used in the present work. The proposed procedure is applied to a typical storage area of a reconversion plant situated in a complex that shelters other nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The top-events and escalation vectors are identified, their consequences estimated and credible domino scenarios selected on the basis of their frequencies. (author)

  2. Life cycle assessment of nanoadsorbents at early stage technological development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kazemi, Ali; Bahramifar, Nader; Heydari, Akbar

    2018-01-01

    the process of the functionalization of nanoadsorbents leads to the increase of the adsorption capacity of nanoadsorbents, it is also paired with a significant enhancement of negative environmental impacts. The results of t-test comparing the cradle-to-use life cycle impacts of studied impact categories for 1...... in the control and removal of environmental pollutants. This application is still an emerging technology at the early stages of development. Hence, the heart of this study enables an environmental assessment of nanoadsorbents as an emerging product. In addition, the environmental impacts of synthesized...

  3. Roles of Apicomplexan protein kinases at each life cycle stage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato, Kentaro; Sugi, Tatsuki; Iwanaga, Tatsuya

    2012-06-01

    Inhibitors of cellular protein kinases have been reported to inhibit the development of Apicomplexan parasites, suggesting that the functions of protozoan protein kinases are critical for their life cycle. However, the specific roles of these protein kinases cannot be determined using only these inhibitors without molecular analysis, including gene disruption. In this report, we describe the functions of Apicomplexan protein kinases in each parasite life stage and the potential of pre-existing protein kinase inhibitors as Apicomplexan drugs against, mainly, Plasmodium and Toxoplasma. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. TRANSCRIPTOME ANALYSES REVEAL DIFFERENTIAL GENE EXPRESSION PATTERNS BETWEEN THE LIFE-CYCLE STAGES OF EMILIANIA HUXLEYI (HAPTOPHYTA) AND REFLECT SPECIALIZATION TO DIFFERENT ECOLOGICAL NICHES(1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rokitta, Sebastian D; de Nooijer, Lennart J; Trimborn, Scarlett; de Vargas, Colomban; Rost, Björn; John, Uwe

    2011-08-01

    Coccolithophores, especially the abundant, cosmopolitan species Emiliania huxleyi (Lohmann) W. W. Hay et H. P. Mohler, are one of the main driving forces of the oceanic carbonate pump and contribute significantly to global carbon cycling, due to their ability to calcify. A recent study indicates that termination of diploid blooms by viral infection induces life-cycle transition, and speculation has arisen about the role of the haploid, noncalcifying stage in coccolithophore ecology. To explore gene expression patterns in both life-cycle stages, haploid and diploid cells of E. huxleyi (RCC 1217 and RCC 1216) were acclimated to limiting and saturating photon flux densities. Transcriptome analyses were performed to assess differential genomic expression related to different ploidy levels and acclimation light intensities. Analyses indicated that life-cycle stages exhibit different properties of regulating genome expression (e.g., pronounced gene activation and gene silencing in the diploid stage), proteome maintenance (e.g., increased turnover of proteins in the haploid stage), as well as metabolic processing (e.g., pronounced primary metabolism and motility in the haploid stage and calcification in the diploid stage). Furthermore, higher abundances of transcripts related to endocytotic and digestive machinery were observed in the diploid stage. A qualitative feeding experiment indicated that both life-cycle stages are capable of particle uptake (0.5 μm diameter) in late-stationary growth phase. Results showed that the two life-cycle stages represent functionally distinct entities that are evolutionarily shaped to thrive in the environment they typically inhabit. © 2011 Phycological Society of America.

  5. The SnSAG merozoite surface antigens of Sarcocystis neurona are expressed differentially during the bradyzoite and sporozoite life cycle stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gautam, A; Dubey, J P; Saville, W J; Howe, D K

    2011-12-29

    Sarcocystis neurona is a two-host coccidian parasite whose complex life cycle progresses through multiple developmental stages differing at morphological and molecular levels. The S. neurona merozoite surface is covered by multiple, related glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked proteins, which are orthologous to the surface antigen (SAG)/SAG1-related sequence (SRS) gene family of Toxoplasma gondii. Expression of the SAG/SRS proteins in T. gondii and another related parasite Neospora caninum is life-cycle stage specific and seems necessary for parasite transmission and persistence of infection. In the present study, the expression of S. neurona merozoite surface antigens (SnSAGs) was evaluated in the sporozoite and bradyzoite stages. Western blot analysis was used to compare SnSAG expression in merozoites versus sporozoites, while immunocytochemistry was performed to examine expression of the SnSAGs in merozoites versus bradyzoites. These analyses revealed that SnSAG2, SnSAG3 and SnSAG4 are expressed in sporozoites, while SnSAG5 was appeared to be downregulated in this life cycle stage. In S. neurona bradyzoites, it was found that SnSAG2, SnSAG3, SnSAG4 and SnSAG5 were either absent or expression was greatly reduced. As shown for T. gondii, stage-specific expression of the SnSAGs may be important for the parasite to progress through its developmental stages and complete its life cycle successfully. Thus, it is possible that the SAG switching mechanism by these parasites could be exploited as a point of intervention. As well, the alterations in surface antigen expression during different life cycle stages may need to be considered when designing prospective approaches for protective vaccination. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Hormone-dependence of sarin lethality in rats: Sex differences and stage of the estrous cycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, Carl D., E-mail: carl.d.smith179.mil@mail.mil; Wright, Linnzi K.M.; Garcia, Gregory E.; Lee, Robyn B.; Lumley, Lucille A.

    2015-09-15

    Chemical warfare nerve agents (CWNAs) are highly toxic compounds that cause a cascade of symptoms and death, if exposed casualties are left untreated. Numerous rodent models have investigated the toxicity and mechanisms of toxicity of CWNAs, but most are limited to male subjects. Given the profound physiological effects of circulating gonadal hormones in female rodents, it is possible that the daily cyclical fluctuations of these hormones affect females' sensitivity to the lethal effects of CWNAs, and previous reports that included female subjects did not control for the stage of the hormonal cycle. The aim of the current study was to determine the 24-hour median lethal dose (LD{sub 50}) of the CWNA sarin in male, ovariectomized (OVEX) female, and female rats during different stages of the estrous cycle (diestrus, proestrus, and estrus). Additionally, baseline activity levels of plasma acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and carboxylesterase were measured to determine differences among the groups. Results indicated that females in proestrus had a significantly higher LD{sub 50} of sarin compared to OVEX and estrous females. Although some sex differences were observed in the activity levels of plasma esterases, they were not consistent and likely not large enough to significantly affect the LD{sub 50}s. These results suggest that hormonal cyclicity can influence the outcome of CWNA-related studies using female rodents, and that this variability can be minimized by controlling for the stage of the cycle. Additional research is necessary to determine the precise mechanism of the observed differences because it is unlikely to be solely explained by plasma esterase activity. - Highlights: • The LD{sub 50} of sarin was determined in female rats throughout the stages of the estrous cycle. • Females in proestrus had a significantly higher LD{sub 50} compared to estrous or ovariectomized females. • No sex differences were observed between male and female

  7. [Changes in the monoamine content in different parts of hypothalamus depending on the stages of the estrous cycle].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babichev, V N; Adamskaia, E I

    1976-01-01

    Fluorimetric determination of monoamines in various regions of the hypothalamus and at different stages of the estral cycle in rats showed that the serotonin, noradrenaline, and particularly dophamine content changed both in the course of the cycle and at different time (10, 15 and 18 hours) of the same stage of the cycle. Dophamine concentration in the arcuate area--the centre of the tonic activity--reached its maximum at 18 hours of the diestrus-2 (D2) and fell to the minimum at 10 hours of the proestrus (P). Noradrenaline level in the preoptic area increased at 18 hours of the D2 and fell at 10 hours of the P. It is supposed that in the hypothalamic regulation of the estral cycle at least two monoamines (dopamine and noradrenaline) took part; the trigger role belongs to noradrenaline of the preoptic area (the cyclic centre).

  8. THE EFFICIENCY OF PROMOTIONAL INSTRUMENTS RELATED TO THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE STAGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MIHAELA MARCU

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Regarded as a planning tool, PLC (product life cycle strongly contributes to the identification of the main marketing challenges that may arise throughout the life of a product/service. Thus, the marketing management has the opportunity to develop and implement those solutions designed to optimize each of the 4P of marketing mix: product (quality, price, distribution (placement and promotion. The communication program has an essential role, because the company presents through it its "product" to actual or potential customers in order to convince them of the benefits of purchasing/using it. The efficiency of the promotional instruments involves an appropriate allocation of funds needed to promote the product/service in relation to the stage of its life cycle.

  9. Organic Rankine Cycle recovering stage heat from MSF desalination distillate water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Weshahi, Mohammed A.; Anderson, Alexander; Tian, Guohong

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The ORC model is validated against measured performance of an existing ORC unit. • This ORC model highlights the importance of refrigerant choice (R245fa performs better than R134a for this specific application). • For heat recovery from desalination plant, ORC evaporator and cooling water temperatures significantly influence the performance. - Abstract: This investigation addresses the potential for heat recovery from Multi Stage Flash (MSF) desalination plant hot distillate water to power an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), comparing R134a and R245fa refrigerants as the working fluid. Using design characteristics of an existing ORC unit, the model was first validated against its measured output. The distillate hot water from MSF stages is utilised to provide heat to the ORC and performance is investigated for both working fluids and for the number of MSF stages for heat recovery. For the specific MSF plant investigated, the net produced ORC power is found the highest with extraction up to MSF powering stage 8, generating 359 kW when R245fa is used and 307 kW when R134a is used. Both refrigerants exhibit an increase of power output and decrease of energy efficiency as heat is recovered from more MSF stages. The influence of variation of the evaporator and cooling temperature on ORC performance is demonstrated to be significant for both refrigerants, with R245fa performing better in this specific application

  10. Spirocyclic chromanes exhibit antiplasmodial activities and inhibit all intraerythrocytic life cycle stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Bracken F; Iyamu, Iredia D; Lee, Sukjun; Lee, Eunyoung; Ayong, Lawrence; Kyle, Dennis E; Yuan, Yu; Manetsch, Roman; Chakrabarti, Debopam

    2016-04-01

    We screened a collection of synthetic compounds consisting of natural-product-like substructural motifs to identify a spirocyclic chromane as a novel antiplasmodial pharmacophore using an unbiased cell-based assay. The most active spirocyclic compound UCF 201 exhibits a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 350 nM against the chloroquine-resistant Dd2 strain and a selectivity over 50 using human liver HepG2 cells. Our analyses of physicochemical properties of UCF 201 showed that it is in compliance with Lipinski's parameters and has an acceptable physicochemical profile. We have performed a limited structure-activity-relationship study with commercially available chromanes preserving the spirocyclic motif. Our evaluation of stage specificities of UCF 201 indicated that the compound is early-acting in blocking parasite development at ring, trophozoite and schizont stages of development as well as merozoite invasion. SPC is an attractive lead candidate scaffold because of its ability to act on all stages of parasite's aexual life cycle unlike current antimalarials.

  11. Planning Costs in Certain Stage of the Life Cycle of Investment Activity of Construction Organization

    OpenAIRE

    Iakymchuk Iryna M.

    2017-01-01

    The article discusses the issues related to planning costs in certain stages of the life-cycle of investment activity of construction organization. It has been specified that cost management based on the life-cycle model of the investment project, which is being implemented by a construction organization, allows for a consistent improvement in the efficiency of the innovation process on the basis of a clear planning, as well as cost forecasting. This approach allows for the long-term effectiv...

  12. Effects of starvation on moult cycle and hepatopancreas of Stage I lobster (Homarus americanus) larvae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anger, K.; Storch, V.; Anger, V.; Capuzzo, J. M.

    1985-06-01

    Effects of feeding and starvation on the moult cycle and on the ultrastructure of hepatopancreas cells were studied in Stage I lobster larvae ( Homarus americanus Milne-Edwards). The relative significance of yolk and first food was quite different in larvae originating from two females. This difference was evident also in the amounts of stored lipid in the R-cells of the larval hepatopancreas. Most larvae from one hatch were, in principle, able to develop exclusively with yolk reserves (without food) to the second instar. The larvae from the second hatch showed lecithotrophic development only to the transition between late intermoult and early premoult (Stages C/D0 of Drachs's moult cycle) of the first larval instar. When initial starvation in this group lasted for 3 days or more, the point of no return (PNR) was exceeded. After the PNR, consumption of food was still possible, but development ceased in the transition C/D0 or in late premoult (D3 4). It is suggested that these stages of the moult cycle are critical points were cessation of development and increased mortality are particularly likely in early larval lobsters under nutritional stress. Examination of hepatopancreas R-cells suggested that the PNR is caused by an irreversible loss of the ability to restore lipid reserves depleted during initial starvation. Initial periods of starvation ending before the PNR prolonged mainly Stage D0 of the same instar (I). During this delay, structural changes in the R-cells caused by the preceding period of starvation were reversed: reduced lipid inclusions, swollen mitochondria, an increased number of residual bodies indicating autolysis, and a reduction of the microvillous processes. Continually starved larvae which showed lecithotrophic development throughout the first instar and were then re-fed after moulting successfully, had later a prolonged intermoult (Stage C) period in the second instar. This shows that, despite occasional lecithotrophy, food is an important

  13. Modeling metabolism and stage-specific growth of Plasmodium falciparum HB3 during the intraerythrocytic developmental cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Xin; Reifman, Jaques; Wallqvist, Anders

    2014-10-01

    The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum goes through a complex life cycle, including a roughly 48-hour-long intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC) in human red blood cells. A better understanding of the metabolic processes required during the asexual blood-stage reproduction will enhance our basic knowledge of P. falciparum and help identify critical metabolic reactions and pathways associated with blood-stage malaria. We developed a metabolic network model that mechanistically links time-dependent gene expression, metabolism, and stage-specific growth, allowing us to predict the metabolic fluxes, the biomass production rates, and the timing of production of the different biomass components during the IDC. We predicted time- and stage-specific production of precursors and macromolecules for P. falciparum (strain HB3), allowing us to link specific metabolites to specific physiological functions. For example, we hypothesized that coenzyme A might be involved in late-IDC DNA replication and cell division. Moreover, the predicted ATP metabolism indicated that energy was mainly produced from glycolysis and utilized for non-metabolic processes. Finally, we used the model to classify the entire tricarboxylic acid cycle into segments, each with a distinct function, such as superoxide detoxification, glutamate/glutamine processing, and metabolism of fumarate as a byproduct of purine biosynthesis. By capturing the normal metabolic and growth progression in P. falciparum during the IDC, our model provides a starting point for further elucidation of strain-specific metabolic activity, host-parasite interactions, stress-induced metabolic responses, and metabolic responses to antimalarial drugs and drug candidates.

  14. Evaluating Managerial Styles for System Development Life Cycle Stages to Ensure Software Project Success

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kocherla, Showry

    2012-01-01

    Information technology (IT) projects are considered successful if they are completed on time, within budget, and within scope. Even though, the required tools and methodologies are in place, IT projects continue to fail at a higher rate. Current literature lacks explanation for success within the stages of system development life-cycle (SDLC) such…

  15. Exergy analysis of vapor compression refrigeration cycle with two-stage and intercooler

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kilic, Bayram [Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Bucak Emin Guelmez Vocational School, Bucak, Burdur (Turkey)

    2012-07-15

    In this study, exergy analyses of vapor compression refrigeration cycle with two-stage and intercooler using refrigerants R507, R407c, R404a were carried out. The necessary thermodynamic values for analyses were calculated by Solkane program. The coefficient of performance, exergetic efficiency and total irreversibility rate of the system in the different operating conditions for these refrigerants were investigated. The coefficient of performance, exergetic efficiency and total irreversibility rate for alternative refrigerants were compared. (orig.)

  16. Planning Costs in Certain Stage of the Life Cycle of Investment Activity of Construction Organization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iakymchuk Iryna M.

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The article discusses the issues related to planning costs in certain stages of the life-cycle of investment activity of construction organization. It has been specified that cost management based on the life-cycle model of the investment project, which is being implemented by a construction organization, allows for a consistent improvement in the efficiency of the innovation process on the basis of a clear planning, as well as cost forecasting. This approach allows for the long-term effectiveness of innovation project by providing cost-management services at all stages of investment project, identifying opportunities for reducing them, thereby contributing to sustainable development of construction organization over time. It has been concluded that the more specific the program of activities of construction organization, the more accurate the process of identification of costs becomes, the more efficient is the management of costs, targeted at saving resources, reducing the self cost of construction works.

  17. TRIM E3 ligases interfere with early and late stages of the retroviral life cycle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pradeep D Uchil

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Members of the TRIpartite interaction Motif (TRIM family of E3 ligases have been shown to exhibit antiviral activities. Here we report a near comprehensive screen for antiretroviral activities of 55 TRIM proteins (36 human, 19 mouse. We identified approximately 20 TRIM proteins that, when transiently expressed in HEK293 cells, affect the entry or release of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV, murine leukemia virus (MLV, or avian leukosis virus (ALV. While TRIM11 and 31 inhibited HIV entry, TRIM11 enhanced N-MLV entry by interfering with Ref1 restriction. Strikingly, many TRIM proteins affected late stages of the viral life cycle. Gene silencing of endogenously expressed TRIM 25, 31, and 62 inhibited viral release indicating that they play an important role at late stages of the viral life cycle. In contrast, downregulation of TRIM11 and 15 enhanced virus release suggesting that these proteins contribute to the endogenous restriction of retroviruses in cells.

  18. Power and efficiency in a regenerative gas-turbine cycle with multiple reheating and intercooling stages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calvo Hernández, A.; Roco, J. M. M.; Medina, A.

    1996-06-01

    Using an improved Brayton cycle as a model, a general analysis accounting for the efficiency and net power output of a gas-turbine power plant with multiple reheating and intercooling stages is presented. This analysis provides a general theoretical tool for the selection of the optimal operating conditions of the heat engine in terms of the compressor and turbine isentropic efficiencies and of the heat exchanger efficiency. Explicit results for the efficiency, net power output, optimized pressure ratios, maximum efficiency, maximum power, efficiency at maximum power, and power at maximum efficiency are given. Among others, the familiar results of the Brayton cycle (one compressor and one turbine) and of the corresponding Ericsson cycle (infinite compressors and infinite turbines) are obtained as particular cases.

  19. Morphological and morphometric evaluation of prepubertal gilt ovaries, uterine tubes and uterus at different oestrus cycle stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guilherme Oberlender

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Studies are performed in developing techniques/procedures that provide greater reproductive performance in farm animals, including pigs. In this sense, the study of gilts reproductive organs at different oestrus cycle stages for assessing the presence of abnormalities and/or other parameters that may affect the future animal fertility is important. In order to evaluate the morphological, morphometric and histomorphometric features of ovaries, uterus and uterine tubes (UTs characteristics of prepubertal gilts at different oestrus cycle stages, reproductive tracts from 48 animals immediately after slaughter were obtained. After, the structures were dissected and removed, and the ovaries were used for classification of oestrus cycle stage of each gilt in follicular phase (FP and luteal phase (FL. Then, morphometric evaluations of ovaries, UTs, uterine horns and uterine body were performed. Besides that, medial segments of UTs and uterus were fixed in Bouin solution, processed and included in paraffin, when histological sections of 5.0 micrometers (µm were obtained and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. Histomorphometric analyzes using image capture system and specific software were performed. Afterwards, data were submitted to Student's t test for assessment the statistical differences (P0.05 between morphometric parameters of ovaries, UTs and uterus of gilts in FP and LP. Likewise, in respect to the placement of reproductive structures, both in the oestrus cycle stages, as in the general average, there was no difference (P>0.05. Regarding the histomorphometric variables, gilts classified in FP presented a higher (P<0.05 height of glandular and UT epithelium compared to animals in LP. On the other hand, the diameter of endometrial glands was higher (P<0.05 in gilts at LP compared to FP. Furthermore, gilts in LP presented a higher (P<0.05 proportion of endometrium occupied by glands, whereas animals in FP had a higher (P<0.05 proportion of

  20. Strengthening power generation efficiency utilizing liquefied natural gas cold energy by a novel two-stage condensation Rankine cycle (TCRC) system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bao, Junjiang; Lin, Yan; Zhang, Ruixiang; Zhang, Ning; He, Gaohong

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A two-stage condensation Rankine cycle (TCRC) system is proposed. • Net power output and thermal efficiency increases by 45.27% and 42.91%. • The effects of the condensation temperatures are analyzed. • 14 working fluids (such as propane, butane etc.) are compared. - Abstract: For the low efficiency of the traditional power generation system with liquefied natural gas (LNG) cold energy utilization, by improving the heat transfer characteristic between the working fluid and LNG, this paper has proposed a two-stage condensation Rankine cycle (TCRC) system. Using propane as working fluid, compared with the combined cycle in the conventional LNG cold energy power generation method, the net power output, thermal efficiency and exergy efficiency of the TCRC system are respectively increased by 45.27%, 42.91% and 52.31%. Meanwhile, the effects of the first-stage and second-stage condensation temperature and LNG vaporization pressure on the performance and cost index of the TCRC system (net power output, thermal efficiency, exergy efficiency and UA) are analyzed. Finally, using the net power output as the objective function, with 14 organic fluids (such as propane, butane etc.) as working fluids, the first-stage and second-stage condensation temperature at different LNG vaporization pressures are optimized. The results show that there exists a first-stage and second-stage condensation temperature making the performance of the TCRC system optimal. When LNG vaporization pressure is supercritical pressure, R116 has the best economy among all the investigated working fluids, and while R150 and R23 are better when the vaporization pressure of LNG is subcritical.

  1. Life cycle stage and water depth affect flooding-induced adventitious root formation in the terrestrial species Solanum dulcamara.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qian; Visser, Eric J W; de Kroon, Hans; Huber, Heidrun

    2015-08-01

    Flooding can occur at any stage of the life cycle of a plant, but often adaptive responses of plants are only studied at a single developmental stage. It may be anticipated that juvenile plants may respond differently from mature plants, as the amount of stored resources may differ and morphological changes can be constrained. Moreover, different water depths may require different strategies to cope with the flooding stress, the expression of which may also depend on developmental stage. This study investigated whether flooding-induced adventitious root formation and plant growth were affected by flooding depth in Solanum dulcamara plants at different developmental stages. Juvenile plants without pre-formed adventitious root primordia and mature plants with primordia were subjected to shallow flooding or deep flooding for 5 weeks. Plant growth and the timing of adventitious root formation were monitored during the flooding treatments. Adventitious root formation in response to shallow flooding was significantly constrained in juvenile S. dulcamara plants compared with mature plants, and was delayed by deep flooding compared with shallow flooding. Complete submergence suppressed adventitious root formation until up to 2 weeks after shoots restored contact with the atmosphere. Independent of developmental stage, a strong positive correlation was found between adventitious root formation and total biomass accumulation during shallow flooding. The potential to deploy an escape strategy (i.e. adventitious root formation) may change throughout a plant's life cycle, and is largely dependent on flooding depth. Adaptive responses at a given stage of the life cycle thus do not necessarily predict how the plant responds to flooding in another growth stage. As variation in adventitious root formation also correlates with finally attained biomass, this variation may form the basis for variation in resistance to shallow flooding among plants. © The Author 2015. Published by

  2. Using the Boston Matrix at Identification of the Corporate Life Cycle Stage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zdeněk Konečný

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The main aim of this article is to develop a new model supporting the identification of the particular corporate life stage within the corporate life cycle. This model will be derived from the Boston matrix. The main reason for using this approach as the base for making new model of the corporate life cycle is the fact, that every quadrant of the Boston matrix can be assigned to one phase of the product life cycle and there is supposed, that the phase, in which are most products, determines the phase of the corporate life cycle. For application the Boston matrix by identification phases of the corporate life cycle is necessary to define low and high values of both its variables using some quantities from the model of corporate- and market life cycle by Reiners (2004. So the interval of low and high sales growth is determined by comparing sales of the company and sales of the market and furthermore, there is considered the rate of inflation to eliminate the impact of price changes. And for determination low and high market shares, there are compared the shares of sales and shares of total assets. After that, there will be possible to identify all the quadrants and thus all the individual phases unequivocally, which is the basic advantage compared to most existing models of the corporate life cycle. The following aim of this article is to compare the occurrence of individual phases, identified by this modified model, depending on the sector sensitivity to the economic cycle, measured by the coefficient of correlation between sales on the market and GDP. There are selected two sectors of the Czech economy, namely one cyclical and one neutral sector. Subsequently there is selected a sample of companies from both these sectors. The data are collected from financial statements of companies and from analytical materials by the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade and by the Czech Statistical Office. On the basis of this research, there were recorded

  3. Perceived Risk Influence on the Consumer Attitude to Private Labels in the Product’s Life Cycle Growth Stage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Horvat

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between purchasing risk associated with private labels and consumer attitudes towards private labels in different product categories in the growth stage of the product life cycle. The first part of the paper is devoted to a brief literature review of the relevant constructs. The second part describes the research and summarizes its results. Descriptive research was conducted on the Croatian market relating to private labels in three different product categories in the growth stage of the product life cycle: liquid soap, chocolate and facial care products. The results confirm negative correlation between perceived risk and attitudes towards private labels in all analysed categories.

  4. Influence of irradiation at different stages of mitotic cycle upon production of sister chromatid exchanges in cultured Chinese hamster cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Antoshina, M.M.; Poryadkova, N.A.; Luchnik, N.V.

    1982-01-01

    Frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and microexchanges in Chinese hamster cells has been studied by means of the method of differential staining of chromatids on irradiation at different stages of the mitotic cycle. It is shown that the irradiation enhances frequency of SCE and microexchanges if it is carried out before the end of DNA replication synthesis. Comparison of frequency depenedence of radiation-induced microexchanges and SCE at different stages of the mitotic cycle results in the conclusion that the microexchanges are none other than small SCE

  5. Influence of Life Cycle Stage on Family Social Climate and Attitudes Toward the Residential Environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inman, Marjorie

    The existing physical forms of housing are not always compatible with prevalent social patterns. To investigate the relationship between family system characteristics and attitudes about residential space, 64 Indiana families in 4 stages of the family life cycle (early years with no children, crowded years with at least one preschool child, peak…

  6. Guidelines Determine the Stage of the Life Cycle of the Organizational Culture of Trade

    OpenAIRE

    Gayday Yuliya V.

    2013-01-01

    In the article the guidelines definition stage of the life cycle of the organizational culture of trade is investigated. The main trends of forming the organizational culture of trade is defined. The basic approaches to the formation of the matrix determine the stage of the life cycle of the organizational culture of trade are grounded.В статье рассмотрены методические рекомендации определения стадии жизненного цикла организационной культуры предприятий торговли, выявлены основные тенденции ф...

  7. Immunohistochemical study of the expression of cell cycle regulating proteins at different stages of bladder cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Primdahl, Hanne; von der Maase, Hans; Sørensen, Flemming Brandt

    2002-01-01

    ; group 1, 23 patients with recurrent stage Ta (non-invasive) tumors; group 2, 22 patients presenting at their first admission with T2-4 (muscle invasive) tumors; group 3, 24 patients who experienced disease progression from Ta or T1 (invasive in connective tissue) to a higher stage......PURPOSE: The cell cycle is known to be deregulated in cancer. We therefore analyzed the expression of the cell cycle related proteins p21, p27, p16, Rb, and L-myc by immunohistochemical staining of bladder tumors.METHODS: The tissue material consisted of bladder tumors from three groups of patients......(kip1) ( P=0.03), Rb ( P=0.00002), and L-myc ( P=0.00000007) in muscle invasive tumors compared to noninvasive tumors. Tumors presenting as muscle invasive at first diagnosis had significantly lower levels of p16/CDKN2A ( P=0.01) when compared to muscle invasive tumors that followed Ta or T1 precursor...

  8. Design and Analysis of a Turbopump for a Conceptual Expander Cycle Upper-Stage Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorney, Daniel J.; Rothermel, Jeffry; Griffin, Lisa W.; Thornton, Randall J.; Forbes, John C.; Skelly, Stephen E.; Huber, Frank W.

    2006-01-01

    As part of the development of technologies for rocket engines that will power spacecraft to the Moon and Mars, a program was initiated to develop a conceptual upper stage engine with wide flow range capability. The resulting expander cycle engine design employs a radial turbine to allow higher pump speeds and efficiencies. In this paper, the design and analysis of the pump section of the engine are discussed. One-dimensional meanline analyses and three-dimensional unsteady computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed for the pump stage. Configurations with both vaneless and vaned diffusers were investigated. Both the meanline analysis and computational predictions show that the pump will meet the performance objectives. Additional details describing the development of a water flow facility test are also presented.

  9. Biopsy of human morula-stage embryos: outcome of 215 IVF/ICSI cycles with PGS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena E Zakharova

    Full Text Available Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD is commonly performed on biopsies from 6-8-cell-stage embryos or blastocyst trophectoderm obtained on day 3 or 5, respectively. Day 4 human embryos at the morula stage were successfully biopsied. Biopsy was performed on 709 morulae from 215 ICSI cycles with preimplantation genetic screening (PGS, and 3-7 cells were obtained from each embryo. The most common vital aneuploidies (chromosomes X/Y, 21 were screened by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH. No aneuploidy was observed in 72.7% of embryos, 91% of those developed to blastocysts. Embryos were transferred on days 5-6. Clinical pregnancy was obtained in 32.8% of cases, and 60 babies were born. Patients who underwent ICSI/PGS treatment were compared with those who underwent standard ICSI treatment by examining the percentage of blastocysts, pregnancy rate, gestational length, birth height and weight. No significant differences in these parameters were observed between the groups. Day 4 biopsy procedure does not adversely affect embryo development in vitro or in vivo. The increased number of cells obtained by biopsy of morulae might facilitate diagnostic screening. There is enough time after biopsy to obtain PGD results for embryo transfer on day 5-6 in the current IVF cycle.

  10. Study of cell cycle parameters of man lymphocytes irradiated at various stages using differential coloring of sister chromatides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poryadkova, N.A.

    1984-01-01

    Parameters of the cell cycle of human lymphocytes are specified, radiation effect applied at various stages of mitotic cycle on the kinetics of cell advance in the cycle is also investigated. It is shown that increasing mitotic index occurs only due to the introduction of cells into the first mitosis. It is not excluded that cells ready to enter the second mitosis died with greater probability as after second synthesis they contained two-fold amount of BDU (5-brominedesoxiuridine) than cells of the first mitosis. In all cases with irradiation of cells of the third mitosis were not found

  11. A NGS approach to the encrusting Mediterranean sponge Crella elegans (Porifera, Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida): transcriptome sequencing, characterization and overview of the gene expression along three life cycle stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Porro, A R; Navarro-Gómez, D; Uriz, M J; Giribet, G

    2013-05-01

    Sponges can be dominant organisms in many marine and freshwater habitats where they play essential ecological roles. They also represent a key group to address important questions in early metazoan evolution. Recent approaches for improving knowledge on sponge biological and ecological functions as well as on animal evolution have focused on the genetic toolkits involved in ecological responses to environmental changes (biotic and abiotic), development and reproduction. These approaches are possible thanks to newly available, massive sequencing technologies-such as the Illumina platform, which facilitate genome and transcriptome sequencing in a cost-effective manner. Here we present the first NGS (next-generation sequencing) approach to understanding the life cycle of an encrusting marine sponge. For this we sequenced libraries of three different life cycle stages of the Mediterranean sponge Crella elegans and generated de novo transcriptome assemblies. Three assemblies were based on sponge tissue of a particular life cycle stage, including non-reproductive tissue, tissue with sperm cysts and tissue with larvae. The fourth assembly pooled the data from all three stages. By aggregating data from all the different life cycle stages we obtained a higher total number of contigs, contigs with blast hit and annotated contigs than from one stage-based assemblies. In that multi-stage assembly we obtained a larger number of the developmental regulatory genes known for metazoans than in any other assembly. We also advance the differential expression of selected genes in the three life cycle stages to explore the potential of RNA-seq for improving knowledge on functional processes along the sponge life cycle. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  12. RNA-Seq analysis validates the use of culture-derived Trypanosoma brucei and provides new markers for mammalian and insect life-cycle stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naguleswaran, Arunasalam; Doiron, Nicholas; Roditi, Isabel

    2018-04-02

    Trypanosoma brucei brucei, the parasite causing Nagana in domestic animals, is closely related to the parasites causing sleeping sickness, but does not infect humans. In addition to its importance as a pathogen, the relative ease of genetic manipulation and an innate capacity for RNAi extend its use as a model organism in cell and infection biology. During its development in its mammalian and insect (tsetse fly) hosts, T. b. brucei passes through several different life-cycle stages. There are currently four life-cycle stages that can be cultured: slender forms and stumpy forms, which are equivalent to forms found in the mammal, and early and late procyclic forms, which are equivalent to forms in the tsetse midgut. Early procyclic forms show coordinated group movement (social motility) on semi-solid surfaces, whereas late procyclic forms do not. RNA-Seq was performed on biological replicates of each life-cycle stage. These constitute the first datasets for culture-derived slender and stumpy bloodstream forms and early and late procyclic forms. Expression profiles confirmed that genes known to be stage-regulated in the animal and insect hosts were also regulated in culture. Sequence reads of 100-125 bases provided sufficient precision to uncover differential expression of closely related genes. More than 100 transcripts showed peak expression in stumpy forms, including adenylate cyclases and several components of inositol metabolism. Early and late procyclic forms showed differential expression of 73 transcripts, a number of which encoded proteins that were previously shown to be stage-regulated. Moreover, two adenylate cyclases previously shown to reduce social motility are up-regulated in late procyclic forms. This study validates the use of cultured bloodstream forms as alternatives to animal-derived parasites and yields new markers for all four stages. In addition to underpinning recent findings that early and late procyclic forms are distinct life-cycle stages

  13. Nonrandom variability in respiratory cycle parameters of humans during stage 2 sleep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modarreszadeh, M; Bruce, E N; Gothe, B

    1990-08-01

    We analyzed breath-to-breath inspiratory time (TI), expiratory time (TE), inspiratory volume (VI), and minute ventilation (Vm) from 11 normal subjects during stage 2 sleep. The analysis consisted of 1) fitting first- and second-order autoregressive models (AR1 and AR2) and 2) obtaining the power spectra of the data by fast-Fourier transform. For the AR2 model, the only coefficients that were statistically different from zero were the average alpha 1 (a1) for TI, VI, and Vm (a1 = 0.19, 0.29, and 0.15, respectively). However, the power spectra of all parameters often exhibited peaks at low frequency (less than 0.2 cycles/breath) and/or at high frequency (greater than 0.2 cycles/breath), indicative of periodic oscillations. After accounting for the corrupting effects of added oscillations on the a1 estimates, we conclude that 1) breath-to-breath fluctuations of VI, and to a lesser extent TI and Vm, exhibit a first-order autoregressive structure such that fluctuations of each breath are positively correlated with those of immediately preceding breaths and 2) the correlated components of variability in TE are mostly due to discrete high- and/or low-frequency oscillations with no underlying autoregressive structure. We propose that the autoregressive structure of VI, TI, and Vm during spontaneous breathing in stage 2 sleep may reflect either a central neural mechanism or the effects of noise in respiratory chemical feedback loops; the presence of low-frequency oscillations, seen more often in Vm, suggests possible instability in the chemical feedback loops. Mechanisms of high-frequency periodicities, seen more often in TE, are unknown.

  14. Two cycles of cisplatin-based chemotherapy for low-volume stage II seminoma: results of a retrospective, single-center case series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pichler, Renate; Leonhartsberger, Nicolai; Stöhr, Brigitte; Horninger, Wolfgang; Steiner, Hannes

    2012-01-01

    To report on the oncological outcome and toxicity of patients treated with 2 cycles of cisplatin-based chemotherapy for low-volume metastatic stage II seminoma. We retrospectively identified a case series of 15 patients with seminoma stage IIA (26.7%) and IIB (73.3%) who underwent chemotherapy consisting of 2 cycles of cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin (PEB) (cisplatin 20 mg/m(2) on days 1-5, etoposide 100 mg/m(2) on days 1-5, bleomycin 30 mg on days 1, 8 and 15) according to patient preference (refusing a 3rd cycle of PEB) or institutional practice in the last decades. Complete staging before chemotherapy was available in all patients. Patient age, the side and diameter of the primary tumor, the size of the lymph nodes before and after chemotherapy, acute and late toxicity of chemotherapy, the incidence of second malignancies, the relapse-free rate and cancer-specific mortality were recorded. Chemotherapy was well tolerated and no episode of febrile neutropenia occurred. Thrombocytopenia grade 4 was not seen in any patient, while leukopenia grade 4 was observed in 4 (26.6%) patients. The mean (range) lymph node size decreased significantly from 2.54 cm (1.1-4.0) before chemotherapy to 0.75 cm (0.4-2.2) after chemotherapy (p < 0.001). After a median (range) follow-up of 60 (13-185) months, no patient had relapsed, no patient had died as a result of seminoma and second malignancy was seen in only 1 (6.6%) patient. These excellent long-term results from a retrospective case series of 2 cycles of PEB in stage IIA/IIB seminoma patients represent a hint for further research with a view to reducing treatment burden. However, these incidental findings should be studied in prospective trials prior to drawing any conclusions. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  15. Understanding the addiction cycle: a complex biology with distinct contributions of genotype vs. sex at each stage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilhelm, C J; Hashimoto, J G; Roberts, M L; Sonmez, M K; Wiren, K M

    2014-10-24

    Ethanol abuse can lead to addiction, brain damage and premature death. The cycle of alcohol addiction has been described as a composite consisting of three stages: intoxication, withdrawal and craving/abstinence. There is evidence for contributions of both genotype and sex to alcoholism, but an understanding of the biological underpinnings is limited. Utilizing both sexes of genetic animal models with highly divergent alcohol withdrawal severity, Withdrawal Seizure-Resistant (WSR) and Withdrawal Seizure-Prone (WSP) mice, the distinct contributions of genotype/phenotype and of sex during addiction stages on neuroadaptation were characterized. Transcriptional profiling was performed to identify expression changes as a consequence of chronic intoxication in the medial prefrontal cortex. Significant expression differences were identified on a single platform and tracked over a behaviorally relevant time course that covered each stage of alcohol addiction; i.e., after chronic intoxication, during peak withdrawal, and after a defined period of abstinence. Females were more sensitive to ethanol with higher fold expression differences. Bioinformatics showed a strong effect of sex on the data structure of expression profiles during chronic intoxication and at peak withdrawal irrespective of genetic background. However, during abstinence, differences were observed instead between the lines/phenotypes irrespective of sex. Confirmation of identified pathways showed distinct inflammatory signaling following intoxication at peak withdrawal, with a pro-inflammatory phenotype in females but overall suppression of immune signaling in males. Combined, these results suggest that each stage of the addiction cycle is influenced differentially by sex vs. genetic background and support the development of stage- and sex-specific therapies for alcohol withdrawal and the maintenance of sobriety. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. Role of Peripheral Alpha2 Adrenergic Receptors in Tonic Pain During Different Stages of Estrous Cycle in Rats

    OpenAIRE

    AR Abyazi Shelmani; M Taherianfard

    2007-01-01

    Introduction: Estrogen and progesterone are supposed to modify pain sensitivity. However, the actual role of each of these steroid hormones in this respect is not well known. Plasma concentrations of these hormones show variation during estrous cycle. The role of alpha2 receptors in tonic pain has been pointed out. The aim of the present study was to investigate the agonist and antagonist effect of alpha2 adrenergic receptors on tonic pain sensitivity during all stages of estrous cycle in fem...

  17. An integrated life cycle inventory for demolition processes in the context of life cycle sustainability assessment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bozhilova-Kisheva, Kossara Petrova; Hu, Mingming; van Roekel, Eric

    2012-01-01

    According to the Life Cycle Assessment in Building and Construction: State-of-the-Art Report (2003), the dismantling and demolition stage of the building life cycle is only sometimes included in the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) when doing Life Cycle Assessments (LCA). The reason that it is less...... inventoried in a traditional LCA maybe because this stage is expected to have a negligible environmental impact comparing to other stages in the life cycle of the buildings. When doing a life cycle sustainability assessment considering not only environmental but also economic and social impacts, the impacts...

  18. The nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, P.M.S.

    1987-01-01

    This chapter explains the distinction between fissile and fertile materials, examines briefly the processes involved in fuel manufacture and management, describes the alternative nuclear fuel cycles and considers their advantages and disadvantages. Fuel management is usually divided into three stages; the front end stage of production and fabrication, the back end stage which deals with the fuel after it is removed from the reactor (including reprocessing and waste treatment) and the stage in between when the fuel is actually in the reactor. These stages are illustrated and explained in detail. The plutonium fuel cycle and thorium-uranium-233 fuel cycle are explained. The differences between fuels for thermal reactors and fast reactors are explained. (U.K.)

  19. Single generation cycles and delayed feedback cycles are not separate phenomena.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfaff, T; Brechtel, A; Drossel, B; Guill, C

    2014-12-01

    We study a simple model for generation cycles, which are oscillations with a period of one or a few generation times of the species. The model is formulated in terms of a single delay-differential equation for the population density of an adult stage, with recruitment to the adult stage depending on the intensity of competition during the juvenile phase. This model is a simplified version of a group of models proposed by Gurney and Nisbet, who were the first to distinguish between single-generation cycles and delayed-feedback cycles. According to these authors, the two oscillation types are caused by different mechanisms and have periods in different intervals, which are one to two generation times for single-generation cycles and two to four generation times for delayed-feedback cycles. By abolishing the strict coupling between the maturation time and the time delay between competition and its effect on the population dynamics, we find that single-generation cycles and delayed-feedback cycles occur in the same model version, with a gradual transition between the two as the model parameters are varied over a sufficiently large range. Furthermore, cycle periods are not bounded to lie within single octaves. This implies that a clear distinction between different types of generation cycles is not possible. Cycles of all periods and even chaos can be generated by varying the parameters that determine the time during which individuals from different cohorts compete with each other. This suggests that life-cycle features in the juvenile stage and during the transition to the adult stage are important determinants of the dynamics of density limited populations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Does thermal variability experienced at the egg stage influence life history traits across life cycle stages in a small invertebrate?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kun Xing

    Full Text Available Although effects of thermal stability on eggs have often been considered in vertebrates, there is little data thermal stability in insect eggs even though these eggs are often exposed in nature to widely fluctuating ambient conditions. The modularity of development in invertebrates might lead to compensation across life cycle stages but this remains to be tested particularly within the context of realistic temperature fluctuations encountered in nature. We simulated natural temperate fluctuations on eggs of the worldwide cruciferous insect pest, the diamondback moth (DBM, Plutella xylostella (L., while maintaining the same mean temperature (25°C±0°C, 25±4°C, 25±6°C, 25±8°C, 25±10°C, 25±12°C and assessed egg development, survival and life history traits across developmental stages. Moderate fluctuations (25±4°C, 25±6°C did not influence performance compared to the constant temperature treatment, and none of the treatments influenced egg survival. However the wide fluctuating temperatures (25±10°C, 25±12°C slowed development time and led to an increase in pre-pupal mass, although these changes did not translate into any effects on longevity or fecundity at the adult stage. These findings indicate that environmental effects can extend across developmental stages despite the modularity of moth development but also highlight that there are few fitness consequences of the most variable thermal conditions likely to be experienced by Plutella xylostella.

  1. Stage-by-Stage and Parallel Flow Path Compressor Modeling for a Variable Cycle Engine, NASA Advanced Air Vehicles Program - Commercial Supersonic Technology Project - AeroServoElasticity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopasakis, George; Connolly, Joseph W.; Cheng, Larry

    2015-01-01

    This paper covers the development of stage-by-stage and parallel flow path compressor modeling approaches for a Variable Cycle Engine. The stage-by-stage compressor modeling approach is an extension of a technique for lumped volume dynamics and performance characteristic modeling. It was developed to improve the accuracy of axial compressor dynamics over lumped volume dynamics modeling. The stage-by-stage compressor model presented here is formulated into a parallel flow path model that includes both axial and rotational dynamics. This is done to enable the study of compressor and propulsion system dynamic performance under flow distortion conditions. The approaches utilized here are generic and should be applicable for the modeling of any axial flow compressor design accurate time domain simulations. The objective of this work is as follows. Given the parameters describing the conditions of atmospheric disturbances, and utilizing the derived formulations, directly compute the transfer function poles and zeros describing these disturbances for acoustic velocity, temperature, pressure, and density. Time domain simulations of representative atmospheric turbulence can then be developed by utilizing these computed transfer functions together with the disturbance frequencies of interest.

  2. Predicting off-design range and performance of refrigeration cycle with two-stage centrifugal compressor and flash intercooler

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Turunen-Saaresti, Teemu; Roeyttae, Pekka; Honkatukia, Juha; Backman, Jari [Lappeenranta University of Technology, Institute of Energy Technology, Laboratory of Fluid Dynamics, P.O. Box 20, 53851 Lappeenranta (Finland)

    2010-09-15

    A modern refrigeration process requires constant control to provide required cooling for the user. To properly and economically accommodate this need, a wide operation range of the compressor is necessary. Therefore, it is of interest to investigate the off-design operation of a cooling cycle and compressor. The refrigeration cycle equipped with a two-stage centrifugal compressor and a flash intercooler is studied. The compressor operation maps are generated with two different design codes and the operation values of the compressors are interpolated from the compressor maps in the simulation of the entire cooling cycle. Based on the previous studies of the utilised refrigeration cycle, R245fa is selected as coolant. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the control capacity of the centrifugal compressor and the performance of the cooling loop in off-design conditions. This configuration provides better and wider control over the cooling range than the traditional on-off control of displacement compressors. (author)

  3. The uranium fuel cycle at IPEN - Energy and Nuclear Research Institute, SP, Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abrao, Alcidio

    1994-09-01

    This paper summarizes the progress of research concerning the uranium fuel cycle set up at the IPEN, Sao Paulo, from the raw yellow-cake to the uranium hexafluoride. It covers the reconversion of the hexafluoride to ammonium uranyl tricarbonate and the manufacturing of the fuel elements for the swimming pool IEA-R1 reactor. This review extends the coverage of two pilot plants for uranium purification based upon ion exchange, one demonstration unity for the purification of uranyl nitrate by solvent extraction in pulsed columns, the unity of uranium tetrafluoride into moving bed reactors and a second one based upon the wet chemistry via uranium dioxide and aqueous hydrogen fluoride. The paper mentions the pilot plant for the preparation of uranium trioxide by the thermal decomposition of ammonium diuranate and a second unity by the thermal denitration of uranyl nitrate. The paper outlines the fluorine plant and the unity for the hexafluoride preparation, the unity for the conversion of the hexa to the ammonium uranyl tricarbonate and the fabrication of fuel elements for the IEA-R1 reactor. (author)

  4. Comparative anatomy and histology of developmental and parasitic stages in the life cycle of the lined sea anemone Edwardsiella lineata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reitzel, Adam M; Daly, Marymegan; Sullivan, James C; Finnerty, John R

    2009-02-01

    The evolution of parasitism is often accompanied by profound changes to the developmental program. However, relatively few studies have directly examined the developmental evolution of parasitic species from free-living ancestors. The lined sea anemone Edwardsiella lineata is a relatively recently evolved parasite for which closely related free-living outgroups are known, including the starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. The larva of E. lineata parasitizes the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi, and, once embedded in its host, the anemone assumes a novel vermiform body plan. That we might begin to understand how the developmental program of this species has been transformed during the evolution of parasitism, we characterized the gross anatomy, histology, and cnidom of the parasitic stage, post-parasitic larval stage, and adult stage of the E. lineata life cycle. The distinct parasitic stage of the life cycle differs from the post-parasitic larva with respect to overall shape, external ciliation, cnida frequency, and tissue architecture. The parasitic stage and planula both contain holotrichs, a type of cnida not previously reported in Edwardsiidae. The internal morphology of the post-parasitic planula is extremely similar to the adult morphology, with a complete set of mesenterial tissue and musculature despite this stage having little external differentiation. Finally, we observed 2 previously undocumented aspects of asexual reproduction in E. lineata: (1) the parasitic stage undergoes transverse fission via physal pinching, the first report of asexual reproduction in a pre-adult stage in the Edwardsiidae; and (2) the juvenile polyp undergoes transverse fission via polarity reversal, the first time this form of fission has been reported in E. lineata.

  5. Ocean acidification affects redox-balance and ion-homeostasis in the life-cycle stages of Emiliania huxleyi.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian D Rokitta

    Full Text Available Ocean Acidification (OA has been shown to affect photosynthesis and calcification in the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, a cosmopolitan calcifier that significantly contributes to the regulation of the biological carbon pumps. Its non-calcifying, haploid life-cycle stage was found to be relatively unaffected by OA with respect to biomass production. Deeper insights into physiological key processes and their dependence on environmental factors are lacking, but are required to understand and possibly estimate the dynamics of carbon cycling in present and future oceans. Therefore, calcifying diploid and non-calcifying haploid cells were acclimated to present and future CO(2 partial pressures (pCO(2; 38.5 Pa vs. 101.3 Pa CO(2 under low and high light (50 vs. 300 µmol photons m(-2 s(-1. Comparative microarray-based transcriptome profiling was used to screen for the underlying cellular processes and allowed to follow up interpretations derived from physiological data. In the diplont, the observed increases in biomass production under OA are likely caused by stimulated production of glycoconjugates and lipids. The observed lowered calcification under OA can be attributed to impaired signal-transduction and ion-transport. The haplont utilizes distinct genes and metabolic pathways, reflecting the stage-specific usage of certain portions of the genome. With respect to functionality and energy-dependence, however, the transcriptomic OA-responses resemble those of the diplont. In both life-cycle stages, OA affects the cellular redox-state as a master regulator and thereby causes a metabolic shift from oxidative towards reductive pathways, which involves a reconstellation of carbon flux networks within and across compartments. Whereas signal transduction and ion-homeostasis appear equally OA-sensitive under both light intensities, the effects on carbon metabolism and light physiology are clearly modulated by light availability. These interactive effects

  6. Ocean acidification affects redox-balance and ion-homeostasis in the life-cycle stages of Emiliania huxleyi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rokitta, Sebastian D; John, Uwe; Rost, Björn

    2012-01-01

    Ocean Acidification (OA) has been shown to affect photosynthesis and calcification in the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, a cosmopolitan calcifier that significantly contributes to the regulation of the biological carbon pumps. Its non-calcifying, haploid life-cycle stage was found to be relatively unaffected by OA with respect to biomass production. Deeper insights into physiological key processes and their dependence on environmental factors are lacking, but are required to understand and possibly estimate the dynamics of carbon cycling in present and future oceans. Therefore, calcifying diploid and non-calcifying haploid cells were acclimated to present and future CO(2) partial pressures (pCO(2); 38.5 Pa vs. 101.3 Pa CO(2)) under low and high light (50 vs. 300 µmol photons m(-2) s(-1)). Comparative microarray-based transcriptome profiling was used to screen for the underlying cellular processes and allowed to follow up interpretations derived from physiological data. In the diplont, the observed increases in biomass production under OA are likely caused by stimulated production of glycoconjugates and lipids. The observed lowered calcification under OA can be attributed to impaired signal-transduction and ion-transport. The haplont utilizes distinct genes and metabolic pathways, reflecting the stage-specific usage of certain portions of the genome. With respect to functionality and energy-dependence, however, the transcriptomic OA-responses resemble those of the diplont. In both life-cycle stages, OA affects the cellular redox-state as a master regulator and thereby causes a metabolic shift from oxidative towards reductive pathways, which involves a reconstellation of carbon flux networks within and across compartments. Whereas signal transduction and ion-homeostasis appear equally OA-sensitive under both light intensities, the effects on carbon metabolism and light physiology are clearly modulated by light availability. These interactive effects can be

  7. Feasibility of perpetual pavement stage construction in China: A life cycle cost analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhongyin Guo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The main objective of pavement design and management is to build sustainable pavement structure with minimum costs during its whole life. There are many uncertainties in the process of pavement design pertaining many of its variables, such as future traffic estimation, long time behavior of materials, future weights and types of traveling vehicles, availability of funds etc. Therefore, it is important to apply pavement stage construction technique during the process of pavement design and management to minimize the risk associated with these uncertainties. From the beginning of 2000, the research and application of perpetual asphalt pavement (PP technology has been deployed in China. The semi rigid base for asphalt pavement has been normally considered as typical component of high class highways in the design according to the Chinese experience since 1997. The research objective is to apply pavement stage construction for the evaluation of life cycle costs of Chinese perpetual and traditional semi rigid pavements using operational pavement management system in addition to examine its suitability for design and construction of more economical and durable flexible pavements. It has been found that the stage construction of asphalt layers in PP over semi rigid pavement foundation will create more sustainable and trusted pavement structures in spite of 2–5% increase in present total cost.

  8. Stage design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shacter, J.

    1975-01-01

    A method is described of cycling gases through a plurality of diffusion stages comprising the steps of admitting the diffused gases from a first diffusion stage into an axial compressor, simultaneously admitting the undiffused gases from a second diffusion stage into an intermediate pressure zone of said compressor corresponding in pressure to the pressure of said undiffused gases, and then admitting the resulting compressed mixture of diffused and undiffused gases into a third diffusion stage

  9. Sp100 colocalizes with HPV replication foci and restricts the productive stage of the infectious cycle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wesley H Stepp

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available We have shown previously that Sp100 (a component of the ND10 nuclear body represses transcription, replication and establishment of incoming human papillomavirus (HPV DNA in the early stages of infection. In this follow up study, we show that Sp100 does not substantially regulate viral infection in the maintenance phase, however at late stages of infection Sp100 interacts with amplifying viral genomes to repress viral processes. We find that Sp100 localizes to HPV16 replication foci generated in primary keratinocytes, to HPV31 replication foci that form in differentiated cells, and to HPV16 replication foci in CIN 1 cervical biopsies. To analyze this further, Sp100 was down regulated by siRNA treatment of differentiating HPV31 containing cells and levels of viral transcription and replication were assessed. This revealed that Sp100 represses viral transcription and replication in differentiated cells. Analysis of Sp100 binding to viral chromatin showed that Sp100 bound across the viral genome, and that binding increased at late stages of infection. Therefore, Sp100 represses the HPV life cycle at both early and late stages of infection.

  10. Methodology of life cycle cost with risk expenditure for offshore process at conceptual design stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nam, Kiil; Chang, Daejun; Chang, Kwangpil; Rhee, Taejin; Lee, In-Beum

    2011-01-01

    This study proposed a new LCC (life cycle cost) methodology with the risk expenditure taken into account for comparative evaluation of offshore process options at their conceptual design stage. The risk expenditure consisted of the failure risk expenditure and the accident risk expenditure. The former accounted for the production loss and the maintenance expense due to equipment failures while the latter reflected the asset damage and the fatality worth caused by disastrous accidents such as fire and explosion. It was demonstrated that the new LCC methodology was capable of playing the role of a process selection basis in choosing the best of the liquefaction process options including the power generation systems for a floating LNG (Liquefied natural gas) production facility. Without the risk expenditure, a simple economic comparison apparently favored the mixed refrigerant cycle which had the better efficiency. The new methodology with the risk expenditure, however, indicated that the nitrogen expansion cycle driven by steam turbines should be the optimum choice, mainly due to its better availability and safety. -- Highlights: → The study presented the methodology of the LCC with the risk expenditure for the conceptual design of offshore processes. → The proposed methodology demonstrated the applicability of the liquefaction unit with the power generation system of LNG FPSO. → Without the risk expenditure, a simple economic comparison apparently favored the mixed refrigerant cycle which had the better efficiency. → The new methodology indicated that the nitrogen expansion cycle driven by steam turbines is the optimum choice due to its better availability and safety.

  11. Discussion on life cycle assessment on automobiles. 2. From a viewpoint of saving energy in the stage of their use; Jidosha no life cycle assessment ni kansuru ichikento. 2. Shiyo dankai no sho energy no shiten kara

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takeishi, T.; Kobayashi, N. [Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

    1997-01-30

    Analysis was made by using the life cycle assessment method for the purpose of saving energy in the use stage of automobiles. Life cycle energy was calculated for cases of adopting direct fuel injection and non-stage transmission (CVT) in the currently used gasoline fueled cars. The calculation was performed with respect to each stage of raw material manufacturing, car fabrication, internal energy manufacturing, driving and disposal. Adoption of direct fuel injection and CVT technologies results in reducing the life cycle energy to about 30% in the use stage and little less than 30% on the whole. Stopping the idling operation will reduce the energy in the use stage by about 40%. Adoption of electric vehicles will result in energy reduction of 30% to 35% as compared with gasoline fueled cars. Since fuel consumption improves with increasing average car speed, energy consumption will be improved by about 30% if the current average car speed in the Tokyo Metropolitan area of 19 km/h is improved to the national average level. Improving the driving environments is important. Driving methods with less often quick starting and quick acceleration can save energy. Combinations of policies are desired, such as improvements in the currently used gasoline fueled vehicles, introduction of substitution fuel driven vehicles, and improvements in driving environments. 4 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs.

  12. Multi-stage continuous alcohol fermentation with cane molasses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chu, C J; Chiou, C J; Ng, A K; Lin, T C; Hwang, E C; Rao, C H

    1970-01-01

    It was reported that 6 to 7% ethanol was produced by single-stage continuous 12-hour cycle fermentation of molasses containing 12% sugar using a new strain, Saccharomyces formensensis, isolated from a stock culture. A higher yield of ethanol was obtained from 2-stage and 3-stage continuous fermentation of molasses containing more sugar at 24- and 36-hour cycles, respectively. In the 2-stage 24-hour cycle continuous fermentation of molasses containing 15% sugar with an agitation speed 300 rpm, 9.2% ethanol resulted. Only 3% sugar remained unconsumed. In the 3-stage 36-hour cycle continuous fermentation of molasses containing 15% sugar with 300 rpm agitation, 12.5% ethanol resulted.

  13. Evaluating Indicators and Life Cycle Inventories for Processes in Early Stages of Technical Readiness

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tan, Eric C [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Smith, Raymond [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Ruiz-Mercado, Gerardo [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

    2017-11-01

    This presentation examines different methods for analyzing manufacturing processes in the early stages of technical readiness. Before developers know much detail about their processes, it is valuable to apply various assessments to evaluate their performance. One type of assessment evaluates performance indicators to describe how closely processes approach desirable objectives. Another type of assessment determines the life cycle inventories (LCI) of inputs and outputs for processes, where for a functional unit of product, the user evaluates the resources used and the releases to the environment. These results can be compared to similar processes or combined with the LCI of other processes to examine up-and down-stream chemicals. The inventory also provides a listing of the up-stream chemicals, which permits study of the whole life cycle. Performance indicators are evaluated in this presentation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's GREENSCOPE (Gauging Reaction Effectiveness for ENvironmental Sustainability with a multi-Objective Process Evaluator) methodology, which evaluates processes in four areas: Environment, Energy, Economics, and Efficiency. The method develops relative scores for indicators that allow comparisons across various technologies. In this contribution, two conversion pathways for producing cellulosic ethanol from biomass, via thermochemical and biochemical routes, are studied. The information developed from the indicators and LCI can be used to inform the process design and the potential life cycle effects of up- and down-stream chemicals.

  14. Industrias Nucleares do Brasil in the context of the Brazilian nuclear program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-10-01

    The activities carried out by Industrias Nucleares Brasileiras (INB) related to the nuclear fuel cycle are described. These activities comprise presently uranium prospecting and processing and fuel elements assembly.Starting in 1997,INB will also perform the reconversion of enriched uranium hexafluoride and the fabrication of fuel pellets.Furthermore, INB produces as well rare earth oxides

  15. Cell-cycle synchronisation of bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei using Vybrant DyeCycle Violet-based sorting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kabani, Sarah; Waterfall, Martin; Matthews, Keith R

    2010-01-01

    Studies on the cell-cycle of Trypanosoma brucei have revealed several unusual characteristics that differ from the model eukaryotic organisms. However, the inability to isolate homogenous populations of parasites in distinct cell-cycle stages has limited the analysis of trypanosome cell division and complicated the understanding of mutant phenotypes with possible impact on cell-cycle related events. Although hydroxyurea-induced cell-cycle arrest in procyclic and bloodstream forms has been applied recently with success, such block-release protocols can complicate the analysis of cell-cycle regulated events and have the potential to disrupt important cell-cycle checkpoints. An alternative approach based on flow cytometry of parasites stained with Vybrant DyeCycle Orange circumvents this problem, but is restricted to procyclic form parasites. Here, we apply Vybrant Dyecycle Violet staining coupled with flow cytometry to effectively select different cell-cycle stages of bloodstream form trypanosomes. Moreover, the sorted parasites remain viable, although synchrony is rapidly lost. This method enables cell-cycle enrichment of populations of trypanosomes in their mammal infective stage, particularly at the G1 phase.

  16. A study on domino effect in nuclear fuel cycle facilities; Um estudo sobre o efeito domino em instalacoes do ciclo do combustivel nuclear

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bozzolan, Jean-Claude

    2006-07-01

    Accidents caused by domino effect are among the most severe accidents in the chemical and process industry. Although the destructive potential of these accidental scenarios is widely known, little attention has been paid to this problem in the technical literature and a complete methodology for quantitative assessment of domino accidents contribution to industrial risk is still lacking. The present study proposed a systematic procedure for the quantitative assessment of the risk caused by domino effect in chemical plants that are part of nuclear fuel cycle plants. This work is based on recent advances in the modeling of fire and explosion damage to process equipment due to different escalation vectors (heat radiation, overpressure and fragment projection). Available data from literature and specific vulnerability models derived for several categories of process equipment had been used in the present work. The proposed procedure is applied to a typical storage area of a reconversion plant situated in a complex that shelters other nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The top-events and escalation vectors are identified, their consequences estimated and credible domino scenarios selected on the basis of their frequencies. (author)

  17. Single-stage-to-orbit versus two-stage-two-orbit: A cost perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamaker, Joseph W.

    1996-03-01

    This paper considers the possible life-cycle costs of single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) and two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) reusable launch vehicles (RLV's). The analysis parametrically addresses the issue such that the preferred economic choice comes down to the relative complexity of the TSTO compared to the SSTO. The analysis defines the boundary complexity conditions at which the two configurations have equal life-cycle costs, and finally, makes a case for the economic preference of SSTO over TSTO.

  18. CMOS single-stage input-powered bridge rectifier with boost switch and duty cycle control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radzuan, Roskhatijah; Mohd Salleh, Mohd Khairul; Hamzah, Mustafar Kamal; Ab Wahab, Norfishah

    2017-06-01

    This paper presents a single-stage input-powered bridge rectifier with boost switch for wireless-powered devices such as biomedical implants and wireless sensor nodes. Realised using CMOS process technology, it employs a duty cycle switch control to achieve high output voltage using boost technique, leading to a high output power conversion. It has only six external connections with the boost inductance. The input frequency of the bridge rectifier is set at 50 Hz, while the switching frequency is 100 kHz. The proposed circuit is fabricated on a single 0.18-micron CMOS die with a space area of 0.024 mm2. The simulated and measured results show good agreement.

  19. Industrias Nucleares do Brasil in the context of the Brazilian nuclear program; A INB no contexto do programa nuclear brasileiro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-10-01

    The activities carried out by Industrias Nucleares Brasileiras (INB) related to the nuclear fuel cycle are described. These activities comprise presently uranium prospecting and processing and fuel elements assembly.Starting in 1997,INB will also perform the reconversion of enriched uranium hexafluoride and the fabrication of fuel pellets.Furthermore, INB produces as well rare earth oxides 2 figs., 1 tab.

  20. The activities of current antimalarial drugs on the life cycle stages of Plasmodium: a comparative study with human and rodent parasites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delves, Michael; Plouffe, David; Scheurer, Christian; Meister, Stephan; Wittlin, Sergio; Winzeler, Elizabeth A; Sinden, Robert E; Leroy, Didier

    2012-02-01

    Malaria remains a disease of devastating global impact, killing more than 800,000 people every year-the vast majority being children under the age of 5. While effective therapies are available, if malaria is to be eradicated a broader range of small molecule therapeutics that are able to target the liver and the transmissible sexual stages are required. These new medicines are needed both to meet the challenge of malaria eradication and to circumvent resistance. Little is known about the wider stage-specific activities of current antimalarials that were primarily designed to alleviate symptoms of malaria in the blood stage. To overcome this critical gap, we developed assays to measure activity of antimalarials against all life stages of malaria parasites, using a diverse set of human and nonhuman parasite species, including male gamete production (exflagellation) in Plasmodium falciparum, ookinete development in P. berghei, oocyst development in P. berghei and P. falciparum, and the liver stage of P. yoelii. We then compared 50 current and experimental antimalarials in these assays. We show that endoperoxides such as OZ439, a stable synthetic molecule currently in clinical phase IIa trials, are strong inhibitors of gametocyte maturation/gamete formation and impact sporogony; lumefantrine impairs development in the vector; and NPC-1161B, a new 8-aminoquinoline, inhibits sporogony. These data enable objective comparisons of the strengths and weaknesses of each chemical class at targeting each stage of the lifecycle. Noting that the activities of many compounds lie within achievable blood concentrations, these results offer an invaluable guide to decisions regarding which drugs to combine in the next-generation of antimalarial drugs. This study might reveal the potential of life-cycle-wide analyses of drugs for other pathogens with complex life cycles.

  1. A hybrid multi-effect distillation and adsorption cycle

    KAUST Repository

    Thu, Kyaw

    2013-04-01

    This paper describes the development of a simple hybrid desalination system of a Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) and an adsorption (AD) cycle operating at sub-atmospheric pressures and temperatures. By hybridizing the conventional MED with an AD cycle, there is a symbiotic enhancement of performances of both cycles. The performance enhancement is attributed to (i) the cascade of adsorbent\\'s regeneration temperature and this extended the usage of thermal energy emanating from the brine heater and (ii) the vapor extraction from the last MED stage by AD cycle which provides the effect of lowering saturation temperatures of all MED stages to the extent of 5°C, resulting in scavenging of heat leaks into the MED stages from the ambient. The combined effects of the hybrid cycles increase the water production capacity of the desalination plant by nearly twofolds.In this paper, we demonstrate a hybrid cycle by simulating an 8-stage MED cycle which is coupled to an adsorption cycle for direct vapor extraction from the last MED stage. The sorption properties of silica gel is utilized (acting as a mechanical vapor compressor) to reduce the saturation temperatures of MED stages. The modeling utilizes the adsorption isotherms and kinetics of the adsorbent. +. adsorbate (silica-gel. +. water) pair along with the governing equations of mass, energy and concentration. For a 8-stage MED and AD cycles operating at assorted temperatures of 65-90°C, the results show that the water production rate increases from 60% to twofolds when compared to the MED alone. The performance ratio (PR) and gain output ratio (GOR) also improve significantly. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Educational Focuses in Organisational Life Cycles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Harry G.

    1985-01-01

    Presents four stages frequently associated with the stages of an organization's life cycle: experimentation, growth, maturity, and decline or stability. The author also demonstrates that the impact of employment and thus training related to organizational life cycles suggests a need for understanding the technical preparation required for…

  3. Potential benefits of saturation cycle with two-phase refrigerant injection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Hoseong; Hwang, Yunho; Radermacher, Reinhard; Chun, Ho-Hwan

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, a saturation cycle is proposed to enhance a vapor compression cycle performance by reducing thermodynamic losses associated with single phase gas compression and isenthalpic expansion. In order to approach the saturation cycle, a two-phase refrigerant injection technique is applied to the multi-stage cycle. This multi-stage cycle with different options is modeled, and its performance is evaluated under ASHRAE standard operating conditions for air conditioning systems. Moreover, the two-phase refrigerant injection cycle is compared with the typical vapor injection cycle which is utilizing the internal heat exchanger or the flash tank. Low GWP refrigerants are applied to this two-phase refrigerant injection cycle. In terms of the COP and its improvement, R123 has a higher potential than any other refrigerants in the multi-stage cycle. Lastly, practical ideas realizing the saturation cycle are discussed such as multi-stage phase separator, phase separator with helical structure inside, and injection location of the compressor. -- Highlights: • A saturation cycle is proposed to enhance the vapor compression cycle performance. • Two-phase refrigerant injection technique is applied to the multi-stage cycle. • Modeling results of the proposed cycle show the significant performance improvement. • Low GWP refrigerants are applied and R123 shows the highest performance. • New parameters, α and ε, are used to show the potential of the saturation cycle

  4. Mosquito Life Cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knowing the stages of the mosquito's life will help you prevent mosquitoes around your home and help you choose the right pesticides for your needs, if you decide to use them. All mosquito species go through four distinct stages during their live cycle.

  5. Variability of Pinus halepensis Mill. Essential Oils and Their Antioxidant Activities Depending on the Stage of Growth During Vegetative Cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Djerrad, Zineb; Djouahri, Abderrahmane; Kadik, Leila

    2017-04-01

    The impact of growth stages during vegetative cycle (B 0  - B 5 ) on chemical composition and antioxidant activities of Pinus halepensis Mill. needles essential oils was investigated for the first time. GC and GC/MS analyses pointed to a quantitative variability of components; terpene hydrocarbons derivatives, represented by α-pinene (8.5 - 12.9%), myrcene (17.5 - 21.6%), p-cymene (7.9 - 11.9%) and (Z)-β-caryophyllene (17.3 - 21.2%) as major components, decreased from 88.9% at B 0 growth stage to 66.9% at B 5 growth stage, whereas oxygenated derivatives, represented by caryophyllene oxide (5.4 - 12.6%) and terpinen-4-ol (0.4 - 3.3%) as major components, increased from 7% at B 0 growth stage to 28.4% at B 5 growth stage. Furthermore, our findings showed that essential oil of P. halepensis needles collected at B 5 growth stage possess higher antioxidant activities by four different testing systems than those collected at B 0  - B 4 growth stages. This highlighted variability led to conclude that we should select essential oils to be investigated carefully depending on growth stage, in order to have the highest effectiveness of essential oil in terms of biological activities for human health purposes. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

  6. Do donor oocyte cycles comply with ASRM/SART embryo transfer guidelines? An analysis of 13,393 donor cycles from the SART registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acharya, Kelly S; Keyhan, Sanaz; Acharya, Chaitanya R; Yeh, Jason S; Provost, Meredith P; Goldfarb, James M; Muasher, Suheil J

    2016-09-01

    To analyze donor oocyte cycles in the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) registry to determine: 1) how many cycles complied with the 2009 American Society for Reproductive Medicine/SART embryo transfer guidelines; and 2) cycle outcomes according to the number of embryos transferred. For donor oocyte IVF with donor age cycles from 2011 to 2012. Embryos transferred in donor IVF cycles. Percentage of compliant cycles, multiple pregnancy rate. There were 3,157 donor cleavage-stage transfers and 10,236 donor blastocyst transfers. In the cleavage-stage cycles, 88% met compliance criteria. The multiple pregnancy rate (MPR) was significantly higher in the noncompliant cycles. In a subanalysis of compliant cleavage-stage cycles, 91% transferred two embryos and only 9% single embryos. In those patients transferring two embryos, the MPR was significantly higher (33% vs. 1%). In blastocyst transfers, only 28% of the cycles met compliance criteria. The MPR was significantly higher in the noncompliant blastocyst cohort at 53% (compared with 2% in compliant cycles). The majority of donor cleavage-stage transfers are compliant with current guidelines, but the transfer of two embryos results in a significantly higher MPR compared with single-embryo transfer. The majority of donor blastocyst cycles are noncompliant, which appears to be driving an unacceptably high MPR in these cycles. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Knocking on Industry’s Door: Needs in Product-Cost Optimization in the Early Product Life Cycle Stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthias Walter

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available While theoretical concepts for product-costing methodologies have evolved over the decades, little emphasis has been placed on their integration into modern information systems. During a co-innovation workshop at SAP SE, we initiated our collaborative research with selected large-scale enterprises from the discrete manufacturing industry. Moreover, we conducted interviews with business experts to gain a sophisticated understanding of the cost-optimization process itself. As a result, we present an exemplary optimization process with an emphasis on the specific characteristics of the product development stage. Based upon this example, we identified associated deficits in information system support. No current software fulfills the enterprises’ requirements regarding cost optimization in the early stages of a product’s life cycle. Thus, the respective processes lack integration in corporate environments. Taking this on, our article compiles detailed problem identification and, moreover, suggests approaches to overcome these hurdles.

  8. Transparency associated with the nuclear fuel cycle; Transparence associee au cycle du combustible nucleaire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2009-07-01

    This document presents the different fuel cycle stages with which the CEA is associated, the annual flow of materials and wastes produced at these different stages, and the destiny of these produced materials and wastes. These information are given for the different CEA R and D activities: experimentation hot laboratories (activities, fuel cycle stages, list of laboratories, tables giving annual flows for each of them), research reactors (types of reactors, fuel usage modes, annual flows of nuclear materials for each reactor), spent fuel management (different types of used materials), spent fuels and radioactive wastes with a foreign origin (quantities, processes)

  9. Stage and season effects on cell cycle and apoptotic activities of germ cells and Sertoli cells during spermatogenesis in the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias).

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClusky, L M

    2005-01-01

    To understand the processes involved in the spatial and temporal maturation of testicular cells in Squalus acanthias, we used standard morphometry, proliferating-cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labelling (TUNEL) immunohistochemistry. Except for immature spermatocysts (germinal zone, GZ; early-stage pre-meiotic, E-PrM), the number of cysts in all subsequent stages and the total number of cysts in the spermatogenic progression varied seasonally. The spermatogenic cycle spans about 2 years and is interrupted by germcell clone deletion via apoptosis at the mitosis-meiosis transition in April/May, manifesting as a zone of degeneration (ZD). Rate of displacement of the ZD across the testis diameter indicates that late-stage premeiotic (L-PrM) generations 12-13 require 9-10 months to reach the mature-spermatid stage. Also, the number of cysts completing spermatogenesis is approximately 4-5-fold less than the number that entered spermatogenesis proper 2 years earlier. Pronounced gonocytogenesis in the germinal ridge was coincident with ZD formation in April/May, but it was absent in the fall when mature spermatogonial and meiotic activities had resumed. Whereas strong Sertoli cell PCNA immunoreactivity dominated the GZ cyst cell-cycle activities throughout the year, except during the spring/summer months, the spermatogonial- and Sertoli-cell PCNA indices in E-PrM cysts were inversely related. PCNA immunoreactivity in spermatocytes was seasonal and dependent on the stage of meiosis. TUNEL labelling was limited to spermatogonia and increased stage-dependently in the PrM region (L-PrM = mid-stage PrM >E-PrM >GZ), correlating with ZD formation, in a season-dependent manner. Results imply that effects of normal regulatory factors in Squalus are stage- and process-specific.

  10. COOLING STAGES OF CRYOGENIC SYSTEMS

    OpenAIRE

    Троценко, А. В.

    2011-01-01

    The formalized definition for cooling stage of low temperature system is done. Based on existing information about the known cryogenic unit cycles the possible types of cooling stages are single out. From analyses of these stages their classification by various characteristics is suggested. The results of thermodynamic optimization of final throttle stage of cooling, which are used as working fluids helium, hydrogen and nitrogen, are shown.

  11. Study of feasible and sustainable multilateral approach on nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuno, Y.; Tazaki, M.; Akiba, M.; Takashima, R.; Izumi, Y.; Tanaka, S.

    2013-01-01

    Despite the Fukushima accident it is undeniable that nuclear power remains one of the most important methods to handle global growth of economic/energy consumption and issues with greenhouse gases. If the demand for nuclear power increases, the demand for not only the generation of power but also for refining uranium (U), conversion, enrichment, re-conversion, and fuel manufacturing should increase. In addition, concerns for the proliferation of 'Sensitive Nuclear Technologies' (SNT) should also increase. We propose a demand-side approach, where nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) activities would be implemented among multiple states. With this approach, NFC services, in particular those using SNTs, are multilaterally executed and controlled, thereby preventing unnecessary proliferation of SNTs, and enabling safe and appropriate control of nuclear technologies and nuclear materials. This proposal would implement nuclear safety and security at an international level and solve transport issues for nuclear fuels. This proposal is based on 3 types of cooperation for each element of NFC: type A: cooperation for 3S only, services received; Type B: cooperation for 3S, MNA (Multilateral Nuclear Activities) without transfer of ownership to MNA; and Type C cooperation for 3S, MNA holding ownership rights. States involved in the 3 types of activity should be referred to as partner states, host states, and site states respectively. The feasibility of the proposal is discussed for the Asian region

  12. Dynamic simulation of a sorption machine : application to a two-stage waterfall cycle; Simulation dynamique d'une machine a adsorption : application a un cycle cascade bi-etage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lachance, D.; Bernier, M. [Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. de Genie Mecanique; Castaing-Lasvignottes, J.; Meunier, F. [Laboratoire du Froid, CNAM, Paris (France)

    2002-07-01

    Trithermal sorption machines are an alternative solution to replace conventional refrigeration and air conditioning systems. This paper completed and followed other work concerning the study of the performance of a two-stage waterfall cycle, coupling a water/zeolite adsorption machine to a water/lithium bromide absorption machine. The objective of the coupling was to increase the global coefficient of performance of the installation. A dynamic model of the behaviour of the water/zeolite adsorption machine simple effect was described and validated using experimental data. The model was then adapted to the double effect cycle heat recovery in order to perform its energy analysis. The originality of this system stems from its functioning at relatively high condensation and regeneration temperatures of 100 Celsius and 300 Celsius respectively, leading to a high compression rate of 100 to 1. 6 refs., 12 figs.

  13. Mechanisms of stage-transcending protection following immunization of mice with late liver stage-arresting genetically attenuated malaria parasites.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brandon K Sack

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasite infection, continues to be one of the leading causes of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Development of an effective vaccine has been encumbered by the complex life cycle of the parasite that has distinct pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic stages of infection in the mammalian host. Historically, malaria vaccine development efforts have targeted each stage in isolation. An ideal vaccine, however, would target multiple life cycle stages with multiple arms of the immune system and be capable of eliminating initial infection in the liver, the subsequent blood stage infection, and would prevent further parasite transmission. We have previously shown that immunization of mice with Plasmodium yoelii genetically attenuated parasites (GAP that arrest late in liver stage development elicits stage-transcending protection against both a sporozoite challenge and a direct blood stage challenge. Here, we show that this immunization strategy engenders both T- and B-cell responses that are essential for stage-transcending protection, but the relative importance of each is determined by the host genetic background. Furthermore, potent anti-blood stage antibodies elicited after GAP immunization rely heavily on FC-mediated functions including complement fixation and FC receptor binding. These protective antibodies recognize the merozoite surface but do not appear to recognize the immunodominant merozoite surface protein-1. The antigen(s targeted by stage-transcending immunity are present in both the late liver stages and blood stage parasites. The data clearly show that GAP-engendered protective immune responses can target shared antigens of pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic parasite life cycle stages. As such, this model constitutes a powerful tool to identify novel, protective and stage-transcending T and B cell targets for incorporation into a multi-stage subunit vaccine.

  14. Multi-stage combustion using nitrogen-enriched air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Larry E.; Anderson, Brian L.

    2004-09-14

    Multi-stage combustion technology combined with nitrogen-enriched air technology for controlling the combustion temperature and products to extend the maintenance and lifetime cycles of materials in contact with combustion products and to reduce pollutants while maintaining relatively high combustion and thermal cycle efficiencies. The first stage of combustion operates fuel rich where most of the heat of combustion is released by burning it with nitrogen-enriched air. Part of the energy in the combustion gases is used to perform work or to provide heat. The cooled combustion gases are reheated by additional stages of combustion until the last stage is at or near stoichiometric conditions. Additional energy is extracted from each stage to result in relatively high thermal cycle efficiency. The air is enriched with nitrogen using air separation technologies such as diffusion, permeable membrane, absorption, and cryogenics. The combustion method is applicable to many types of combustion equipment, including: boilers, burners, turbines, internal combustion engines, and many types of fuel including hydrogen and carbon-based fuels including methane and coal.

  15. Towards a more sustainable transport infrastructure: how spatial geological data can be utilized to improve early stage Life cycle assessment of road infrastructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karlsson, Caroline; Miliutenko, Sofiia; Björklund, Anna; Mörtberg, Ulla; Olofsson, Bo; Toller, Susanna

    2017-04-01

    Environmental impacts during the life cycle stages of transport infrastructure are substantial, including among other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as resource and energy use. For transport infrastructure to be sustainable, such issues need to be integrated in the planning process. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required by the European Union (EU) in order to ensure that all environmental aspects are considered during planning of road infrastructure projects. As a part of this process, the European Commission has suggested the use of the tool life cycle assessment (LCA) for assessing life cycle energy use and GHG emissions. When analyzing life cycle impacts of the road infrastructure itself, it was shown that earthworks and materials used for the road construction have a big share in the total energy use and GHG emissions. Those aspects are largely determined by the geological conditions at the site of construction: parameters such as soil thickness, slope, bedrock quality and soil type. The geological parameters determine the amounts of earthworks (i.e. volumes of soil and rock that will be excavated and blasted), transportation need for excavated materials as well as the availability of building materials. The study presents a new geographic information system (GIS)-based approach for utilizing spatial geological data in three dimensions (i.e. length, width and depth) in order to improve estimates on earthworks during the early stages of road infrastructure planning. Three main methodological steps were undertaken: mass balance calculation, life cycle inventory analysis and spatial mapping of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy use. The proposed GIS-based approach was later evaluated by comparing with the actual values of extracted material of a real road construction project. The results showed that the estimate of filling material was the most accurate, while the estimate for excavated soil and blasted rock had a wide variation from

  16. Life cycle reliability assessment of new products—A Bayesian model updating approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng, Weiwen; Huang, Hong-Zhong; Li, Yanfeng; Zuo, Ming J.; Xie, Min

    2013-01-01

    The rapidly increasing pace and continuously evolving reliability requirements of new products have made life cycle reliability assessment of new products an imperative yet difficult work. While much work has been done to separately estimate reliability of new products in specific stages, a gap exists in carrying out life cycle reliability assessment throughout all life cycle stages. We present a Bayesian model updating approach (BMUA) for life cycle reliability assessment of new products. Novel features of this approach are the development of Bayesian information toolkits by separately including “reliability improvement factor” and “information fusion factor”, which allow the integration of subjective information in a specific life cycle stage and the transition of integrated information between adjacent life cycle stages. They lead to the unique characteristics of the BMUA in which information generated throughout life cycle stages are integrated coherently. To illustrate the approach, an application to the life cycle reliability assessment of a newly developed Gantry Machining Center is shown

  17. Rock Cycle Roulette.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Stan M.; Palmer, Courtney

    2000-01-01

    Introduces an activity on the rock cycle. Sets 11 stages representing the transitions of an earth material in the rock cycle. Builds six-sided die for each station, and students move to the stations depending on the rolling side of the die. Evaluates students by discussing several questions in the classroom. Provides instructional information for…

  18. Light-Dependent Transcriptional Regulation of Genes of Biogeochemical Interest in the Diploid and Haploid Life Cycle Stages of Emiliania huxleyi▿ †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richier, Sophie; Kerros, Marie-Emmanuelle; de Vargas, Colomban; Haramaty, Liti; Falkowski, Paul G.; Gattuso, Jean-Pierre

    2009-01-01

    The expression of genes of biogeochemical interest in calcifying and noncalcifying life stages of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi was investigated. Transcripts potentially involved in calcification were tested through a light-dark cycle. These transcripts were more abundant in calcifying cells and were upregulated in the light. Their application as potential candidates for in situ biogeochemical proxies is also suggested. PMID:19304825

  19. Study on MnCl_2/CaCl_2–NH_3 two-stage solid sorption freezing cycle for refrigerated trucks at low engine load in summer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, P.; Zhang, X.F.; Wang, L.W.; Wang, R.Z.; Li, D.P.; Liang, Z.W.; Cai, A.F.

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A MnCl_2/CaCl_2–NH_3 two-stage solid sorption freezing cycle driven by the engine exhaust gas is proposed for refrigerated trucks. - Highlights: • A two-stage adsorption freezing system is designed and constructed for the refrigerated truck. • Composite adsorbents of MnCl_2 and CaCl_2 with the matrix of ENG-TSA are developed. • The average refrigerating capacity of 2.2 kW in the adsorption process is obtained. • The chilled air outlet temperature of the evaporator is controlled at about −5 °C. • The COP is 0.13 when the heating and refrigerating temperatures are 230 °C and −5 °C. - Abstract: A novel MnCl_2/CaCl_2–NH_3 two-stage solid sorption freezing cycle is designed and established for the refrigerated truck with the rated power of 80 kW. The conventional sorption/desorption process and the resorption process are combined in the two-stage cycle. Theoretical analysis shows that such a cycle could adapt to the low heat source temperature and the high cooling temperature of the sorption beds very well, which is quite essential for the truck when the running speed and the load are low in summer. The expanded natural graphite treated with sulfuric acid (ENG-TSA) is chosen as the matrix, and composite adsorbents of MnCl_2/ENG-TSA and CaCl_2/ENG-TSA are developed. The hot air heated by the electric heater is used to simulate the engine exhaust gas to drive the system. When the hot air, the ambient air and the refrigerating temperature are 230 °C, 30 °C and −5 °C, respectively, the average refrigerating capacity is 2.2 kW in the sorption process. Correspondingly, the COP and SCP are 0.13 and 91.7 W/kg, respectively. The average refrigerating capacity of 1.1 kW in one cycle is gotten, which could meet the required refrigerating capacity of the light refrigerated truck at the low engine load engine in summer.

  20. Dormancy cycling in seeds: mechanisms and regulation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Claessens, S.M.C.

    2012-01-01

    The life cycle of most plants starts, and ends, at the seed stage. In most species mature seeds are shed and dispersed on the ground. At this stage of its life cycle the seed may be dormant and will, by definition, not germinate under favourable conditions (Bewley, 1997).

    Seasonal

  1. Improving the performance of LOX/kerosene upper stage rocket engines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    IgorN. Nikischenko

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Improved liquid rocket engine cycles were proposed and analyzed via comparison with existing staged combustion and gas-generator cycles. The key features of the proposed cycles are regenerative cooling of thrust chamber by oxygen and subsequent use of this oxygen for driving one or two oxygen pumps. The fuel pump(s are driven in a conventional manner, for example, using a fuel-rich gas-generator cycle. Comparison with staged combustion cycle based on oxygen-rich pre-burner showed that one of the proposed semi-expander cycles has a specific impulse only on 0.4% lower while providing much lower oxygen temperature, more efficient tank pressurizing system and built-in roll control. This semi-expander cycle can be considered as a more reliable and cost-effective alternative of staged combustion cycle. Another semi-expander cycle can be considered as an improvement of gas-generator cycle. All proposed semi-expander cycles were developed as a derivative of thrust chamber regenerative cooling performed by oxygen. Analysis of existing oxygen/kerosene engines showed that replacing of kerosene regenerative cooling with oxygen allows a significant increase of achievable specific impulse, via optimization of mixture ratio. It is especially the case for upper stage engines. The increasing of propellants average density can be considered as an additional benefit of mixture ratio optimization. It was demonstrated that oxygen regenerative cooling of thrust chamber is a feasible and the most promising option for oxygen/kerosene engines. Combination of oxygen regenerative cooling and semi-expander cycles potentially allows creating the oxygen/kerosene propulsion systems with minimum specific impulse losses. It is important that such propulsion systems can be fully based on inherited and well-proven technical solutions. A hypothetic upper stage engine with thrust 19.6 kN was chosen as a prospective candidate for theoretical analysis of the proposed semi

  2. The control system of the ecological hybrid two stages refrigerating cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cyklis Piotr

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The compression anticlockwise cycle is mostly used for refrigeration. However due to the environmental regulations, the use of classic refrigerants: F-gases is limited by international agreements. Therefore the combined compression-adsorption hybrid cycle with natural liquids: water/carbon dioxide working as the energy carriers is a promising solution. This allows to utilize the solar or waste energy for the refrigeration purpose. In this paper application of the solar collectors as the energy source for the adsorption cycle, coupled with the low temperature (LT refrigerating carbon dioxide compression cycle is shown. The control of the system is an essential issue to reduce the electric power consumption. The control of the solar heat supply and water sprayed cooling tower, for the adsorption cycle re-cooling, is presented in this paper. The designed control system and algorithm is related to the LT compression cycle, which operates according to the need of cold for the refrigeration chamber. The results of the laboratory investigations of the full system, showing the reduction of the energy consumption and maximum utilization of the solar heat for different control methods are presented.

  3. A review of findings of a study of rocket based combined cycle engines applied to extensively axisymmetric single stage to orbit vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Richard W.

    1992-01-01

    Extensively axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) vehicles are considered. The information is presented in viewgraph form and the following topics are presented: payload comparisons; payload as a percent of dry weight - a system hardware cost indicator; life cycle cost estimations; operations and support costs estimation; selected engine type; and rocket engine specific impulse calculation.

  4. A Guide to Studying Human Hair Follicle Cycling In Vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Ji Won; Kloepper, Jennifer; Langan, Ewan A; Kim, Yongsoo; Yeo, Joongyeub; Kim, Min Ji; Hsi, Tsai-Ching; Rose, Christian; Yoon, Ghil Suk; Lee, Seok-Jong; Seykora, John; Kim, Jung Chul; Sung, Young Kwan; Kim, Moonkyu; Paus, Ralf; Plikus, Maksim V

    2016-01-01

    Hair follicles (HFs) undergo lifelong cyclical transformations, progressing through stages of rapid growth (anagen), regression (catagen), and relative "quiescence" (telogen). Given that HF cycling abnormalities underlie many human hair growth disorders, the accurate classification of individual cycle stages within skin biopsies is clinically important and essential for hair research. For preclinical human hair research purposes, human scalp skin can be xenografted onto immunocompromised mice to study human HF cycling and manipulate long-lasting anagen in vivo. Although available for mice, a comprehensive guide on how to recognize different human hair cycle stages in vivo is lacking. In this article, we present such a guide, which uses objective, well-defined, and reproducible criteria, and integrates simple morphological indicators with advanced, (immuno)-histochemical markers. This guide also characterizes human HF cycling in xenografts and highlights the utility of this model for in vivo hair research. Detailed schematic drawings and representative micrographs provide examples of how best to identify human HF stages, even in suboptimally sectioned tissue, and practical recommendations are given for designing human-on-mouse hair cycle experiments. Thus, this guide seeks to offer a benchmark for human hair cycle stage classification, for both hair research experts and newcomers to the field. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Microwave radiation effects on the different stages of Sitophilus oryzae (Linne, 1763) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) evolutive cycle in rice, focusing its control

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Franco, Jose G.; Franco, Suely S.H., E-mail: gilmita@uol.com.br, E-mail: zegilmar60@gmail.com [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Franco, Caio H.; Arthur, Paula B.; Arthur, Valter, E-mail: caiohaddadfranco@lnbio.cnpem.com.br, E-mail: arthur@cena.usp.br [Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/USP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Lab. de Radiobiologia e Ambiente

    2013-07-01

    As insects increase in radio tolerance as they develop and usually several developmental stages of pest may present in grain shipped commodity, it is important to know the microwave radiation susceptibility of stages of the target insect before the establishment of microwave radiation quarantine treatments. The current research had the aim to evaluate the microwave radiation effects on several phases of the rice weevil evolution cycle (S.oryzae), focusing its control. This specie is considered as on of the most serious worldwide pests for stored grains. The tests have been done in glass vials with 250 grams of whole grain (brown) rice and the irradiation was done in a 2,450 MHz commercial microwave oven, model Carousel II (potency of 800W). It was determined the exposure time needed to each phase control for the insect evolutive cycle, concluding that the immature phases (larvae and pupae), contained inside the rice, are more sensitive, requiring only 100 seconds to obtain 100% control while the egg phase requires a longer exposure (130 seconds). Referring to the grown phase, the time required to attain the lethal dose was 160 seconds. All the exposure time have been irradiated with a low potency (240 W). It also displayed that to greater quantities of rice (1.0 kg), with egg presence and forming a 2.0-centimeter layer on the microwave plate surface, it required an exposure time of 180 seconds. Therefore, in a more effective way, we can recommend these 180 seconds exposure time to the control of all phases concerning the insect evolutive cycle. (author)

  6. Microwave radiation effects on the different stages of Sitophilus oryzae (Linne, 1763) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) evolutive cycle in rice, focusing its control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franco, Jose G.; Franco, Suely S.H.; Franco, Caio H.; Arthur, Paula B.; Arthur, Valter

    2013-01-01

    As insects increase in radio tolerance as they develop and usually several developmental stages of pest may present in grain shipped commodity, it is important to know the microwave radiation susceptibility of stages of the target insect before the establishment of microwave radiation quarantine treatments. The current research had the aim to evaluate the microwave radiation effects on several phases of the rice weevil evolution cycle (S.oryzae), focusing its control. This specie is considered as on of the most serious worldwide pests for stored grains. The tests have been done in glass vials with 250 grams of whole grain (brown) rice and the irradiation was done in a 2,450 MHz commercial microwave oven, model Carousel II (potency of 800W). It was determined the exposure time needed to each phase control for the insect evolutive cycle, concluding that the immature phases (larvae and pupae), contained inside the rice, are more sensitive, requiring only 100 seconds to obtain 100% control while the egg phase requires a longer exposure (130 seconds). Referring to the grown phase, the time required to attain the lethal dose was 160 seconds. All the exposure time have been irradiated with a low potency (240 W). It also displayed that to greater quantities of rice (1.0 kg), with egg presence and forming a 2.0-centimeter layer on the microwave plate surface, it required an exposure time of 180 seconds. Therefore, in a more effective way, we can recommend these 180 seconds exposure time to the control of all phases concerning the insect evolutive cycle. (author)

  7. Implementing Life Cycle Assessment in systems development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bhander, Gurbakhash Singh; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky; McAloone, Timothy Charles

    2003-01-01

    and the rapid changes in markets for many products. The overall aim of the paper is to provide an understanding of the environmental issues involved in the early stages of product development and the capacity of life cycle assessment techniques to address these issues. The paper aims to outline the problems...... for the designer in evaluating the environmental benignity of the product from the outset and to provide the designer with a framework for decision support based on the performance evaluation at different stages of the design process. The overall aim of this paper is to produce an in-depth understanding...... of possibilities which can be introduced in the design stage compared to the other life cycle stages of the product system. The paper collects experiences and ideas around the state-of-the-art in eco-design, from literature and personal experience and further provides eco-design life cycle assessment strategies...

  8. Variety in intracellular diffusion during the cell cycle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Selhuber-Unkel, C.; Yde, P.; Berg-Sørensen, Kirstine

    2009-01-01

    During the cell cycle, the organization of the cytoskeletal network undergoes dramatic changes. In order to reveal possible changes of the viscoelastic properties in the intracellular space during the cell cycle we investigated the diffusion of endogenous lipid granules within the fission yeast...... Schizosaccharomyces Pombe using optical tweezers. The cell cycle was divided into interphase and mitotic cell division, and the mitotic cell division was further subdivided in its stages. During all stages of the cell cycle, the granules predominantly underwent subdiffusive motion, characterized by an exponent...... a that is also linked to the viscoelastic moduli of the cytoplasm. The exponent a was significantly smaller during interphase than during any stage of the mitotic cell division, signifying that the cytoplasm was more elastic during interphase than during division. We found no significant differences...

  9. Residential Preferences and Moving Behavior: A Family Life Cycle Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAuley, William J.; Nutty, Cheri L.

    The relationship of family life cycle changes to housing preferences and residential mobility is examined. Two residential decision-making issues are explored in detail--how family life cycle stages influence what people view as important to their choice of residential setting and what individuals at different family life cycle stages view as the…

  10. Mouse estrous cycle identification tool and images.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shannon L Byers

    Full Text Available The efficiency of producing timed pregnant or pseudopregnant mice can be increased by identifying those in proestrus or estrus. Visual observation of the vagina is the quickest method, requires no special equipment, and is best used when only proestrus or estrus stages need to be identified. Strain to strain differences, especially in coat color can make it difficult to determine the stage of the estrous cycle accurately by visual observation. Presented here are a series of images of the vaginal opening at each stage of the estrous cycle for 3 mouse strains of different coat colors: black (C57BL/6J, agouti (CByB6F1/J and albino (BALB/cByJ. When all 4 stages (proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus need to be identified, vaginal cytology is regarded as the most accurate method. An identification tool is presented to aid the user in determining the stage of estrous when using vaginal cytology. These images and descriptions are an excellent resource for learning how to determine the stage of the estrous cycle by visual observation or vaginal cytology.

  11. Nutrition and hydration status improve with exercise training using stationary cycling during hemodialysis (HD) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Załuska, Alicja; Załuska, Wojciech T; Bednarek-Skublewska, Anna; Ksiazek, Andrzej

    2002-01-01

    Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis are functionally limited as a consequence of their physical, emotional, and social problems. Exercise intolerance is a major problem in chronic renal failure. Stationary cycle training during hemodialysis is recommended as safe, effective, and practical in ESRD patients treated on hemodialysis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of cycling exercises in 10 HD patients during 6-month period (including each of dialysis sessions) on nutrition, dialysis adequacy, and fluid parameters as measured by biochemical, and bioimpedance parameters. A significant increase in serum albumin concentration, Kt/V, and nPCR, and decrease in serum CRP have been observed after 6 months of regular stationary cycling during hemodialysis. Relative changes (pre-post HD) in extracellular water compartment and ECW/TBW ratio have significantly increased after 6 months of observation period.

  12. Fuel cycle strategies for growth of nuclear power in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Purushotham, D.S.C.; Balu, K.

    2002-01-01

    Nuclear power has been identified as an essential component to meet the growing energy demand of India. The three stage fuel cycle strategy to achieve this with the available resources envisages the use of natural uranium in PHWRs in the first stage, the plutonium-uranium/plutonium-thorium cycles in Fast reactors/Advanced HWRs in the second stage, followed by exploitation of essentially U233 in the third stage. The technologies necessary for this programme, mainly through the back-end of the fuel cycle including reprocessing, waste management and recycle of Pu have been developed accordingly, as a direct result of the closed fuel cycle policy followed by us from the very beginning. This paper addresses the considerations involved in several activities taken up in our programme, their current status and plans for the future. (author)

  13. EXPRESSION OF THE TRANSPORT SECTOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY EVALUATION METHODOLOGY (TRENDS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE ECONOMIC CYCLE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deimena KIYAK

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available It is important to evaluate the impact of economic fluctuations on the transport sector operational efficiency, since such an analysis is a source of economic information which contributes to the identification of the sector's potential and advantages, the establishment of the risky areas of activity, and the exploration of the opportunities to increase its effectiveness. The aim of the study was to apply mathematical evaluation methods to the exploration of the operational efficiency of the Lithuanian transport sector companies and, based on the outcomes, to validate the opportunity of predicting a potential change of the economic cycle. The operational efficiency of the Lithuanian transport sector was analysed in the context of the cyclical national economy, and not in individual economic boom or recession periods, as that allowed for more detailed evaluation of the specific activities of the sector and its impact on Lithuanian economy. To achieve the aim, three different stages of the economic cycle in Lithuania were identified, and calculations were made during them. Based on the aggregate financial data, four different economic efficiency indicators were developed that reflected the efficiency level of the entire transport sector, and the sensitivity of the transport sector to economic fluctuations was identified. The comparison of the changes in the transport sector and in Lithuanian economy made it obvious that the level of the sector's operational efficiency could be regarded as a leading indicator of the economic cycle.

  14. 4-Nitro styrylquinoline is an antimalarial inhibiting multiple stages of Plasmodium falciparum asexual life cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Bracken F; Zheng, Yongsheng; Cleaveleand, Jacob; Lee, Sukjun; Lee, Eunyoung; Ayong, Lawrence; Yuan, Yu; Chakrabarti, Debopam

    2017-04-01

    Drugs against malaria are losing their effectiveness because of emerging drug resistance. This underscores the need for novel therapeutic options for malaria with mechanism of actions distinct from current antimalarials. To identify novel pharmacophores against malaria we have screened compounds containing structural features of natural products that are pharmacologically relevant. This screening has identified a 4-nitro styrylquinoline (SQ) compound with submicromolar antiplasmodial activity and excellent selectivity. SQ exhibits a cellular action distinct from current antimalarials, acting early on malaria parasite's intraerythrocytic life cycle including merozoite invasion. The compound is a fast-acting parasitocidal agent and also exhibits curative property in the rodent malaria model when administered orally. In this report, we describe the synthesis, preliminary structure-function analysis, and the parasite developmental stage specific action of the SQ scaffold. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  15. Classifying stages of cirrus life-cycle evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urbanek, Benedikt; Groß, Silke; Schäfler, Andreas; Wirth, Martin

    2018-04-01

    Airborne lidar backscatter data is used to determine in- and out-of-cloud regions. Lidar measurements of water vapor together with model temperature fields are used to calculate relative humidity over ice (RHi). Based on temperature and RHi we identify different stages of cirrus evolution: homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing, depositional growth, ice sublimation and sedimentation. We will present our classification scheme and first applications on mid-latitude cirrus clouds.

  16. Report on the control of the safety and security of nuclear facilities. Part 2: the reconversion of military plutonium stocks. The use of the helps given to central and eastern Europe countries and to the new independent states; Rapport sur le controle de la surete et de la securite des installations nucleaires. Deuxieme partie: la reconversion des stocks de plutonium militaire. L'utilisation des aides accordees aux pays d'Europe centrale et orientale et aux nouveaux etats independants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birraux, C

    2002-07-01

    This report deals with two different aspects of the safety and security of nuclear facilities. The first aspect concerns the reconversion of weapon grade plutonium stocks: the plutonium in excess, plutonium hazards and nuclear fuel potentialities, the US program, the Russian program, the actions of European countries (France, Germany), the intervention of other countries, the unanswered questions (political aspects, uncertainties), the solutions of the future (improvement of reactors, the helium-cooled high temperature reactor technology (gas-turbine modular helium reactor: GT-MHR), the Carlo Rubbia's project). The second aspect concerns the actions carried out by the European Union in favor of the civil nuclear facilities of central and eastern Europe: the European Union competencies through the Euratom treaty, the conclusions of the European audit office about the PHARE and TACIS nuclear programs, the status of committed actions, the coming planned actions, and the critical analysis of the policy adopted so far. (J.S.)

  17. External costs of the nuclear fuel cycle. A scoping study to determine the external costs of the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle in accordance with the EC/US methodology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dodd, D.H.

    1995-10-01

    This report describes the results of a scoping study to estimate the external costs of the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle. This study was performed within the framework of the Commission of the European Community's External Costs of Fuel Cycles project. The external costs of a fuel cycle are those costs which are excluded from the standard calculation of the cost of electricity. These costs are borne by society as a whole and include, in particular, the health and environmental costs which result from the operation of the facilities involved in a given fuel cycle. At present the uranium enrichment, electricity generation and interim storage stages of the nuclear fuel cycle take place in the Netherlands. These stages of the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle have been studied in detail and the external costs associated with thse stages estimated using up-to-date site specific data. The other stages of the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle do not currently take place in the Netherlands. In general the external costs associated with these stages have been estimated using data from the literature. Relatively few transports of radioactive materials associated with the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle take place in the Netherlands and the external costs associated with all transports has been based on values in the literature. (orig.)

  18. External costs of the nuclear fuel cycle. A scoping study to determine the external costs of the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle in accordance with the EC/US methodology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dodd, D H

    1995-10-01

    This report describes the results of a scoping study to estimate the external costs of the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle. This study was performed within the framework of the Commission of the European Community`s External Costs of Fuel Cycles project. The external costs of a fuel cycle are those costs which are excluded from the standard calculation of the cost of electricity. These costs are borne by society as a whole and include, in particular, the health and environmental costs which result from the operation of the facilities involved in a given fuel cycle. At present the uranium enrichment, electricity generation and interim storage stages of the nuclear fuel cycle take place in the Netherlands. These stages of the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle have been studied in detail and the external costs associated with thse stages estimated using up-to-date site specific data. The other stages of the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle do not currently take place in the Netherlands. In general the external costs associated with these stages have been estimated using data from the literature. Relatively few transports of radioactive materials associated with the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle take place in the Netherlands and the external costs associated with all transports has been based on values in the literature. (orig.).

  19. Organizational Life Cycles and Shifting Criteria of Effectiveness: Some Preliminary Evidence

    OpenAIRE

    Robert E. Quinn; Kim Cameron

    1983-01-01

    This paper discusses the relationships between stage of development in organizational life cycles and organizational effectiveness. We begin the paper by reviewing nine models of organizational life cycles that have been proposed in the literature. Each of these models identifies certain characteristics that typify organizations in different stages of development. A summary model of life cycle stages is derived that integrates each of these nine models. Next, a framework of organizational eff...

  20. Life Cycle Assessment for Biofuels

    Science.gov (United States)

    A presentation based on life cycle assessment (LCA) for biofuels is given. The presentation focuses on energy and biofuels, interesting environmental aspects of biofuels, and how to do a life cycle assessment with some examples related to biofuel systems. The stages of a (biofuel...

  1. The transillumination technique as a method for the assessment of spermatogenesis using medicinal plants: the effect of extracts of black maca (Lepidium meyenii) and camu camu (Myrciaria dubia) on stages of the spermatogenic cycle in male rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzales, Gustavo F; Vasquez, Vanessa Bertha; Gasco, Manuel

    2013-10-01

    Transillumination technique for assessment of stages of spermatogenic cycle is a useful tool for toxicological studies. This study was designed to determine the effect of two medicinal plants on spermatogenesis in male rats using the transillumination technique. For this, the effect of the combination of a fruit with highest content of ascorbic acid (Myrciaria dubia, camu camu) and extract of black maca (Lepidium meyenii) on seminiferous tubule stages scored by transillumination on intact tubules in adult male rats was assessed. Animals were treated during seven days with vehicle, black maca, camu camu or a mixture of black maca + camu camu and assessed for daily sperm production (DSP), stages of spermatogenic cycle as well as antioxidant activity and levels of flavonoids and polyphenols. Black maca increased stages of spermiation (VII-VIII) and mitosis of germ cells (IX-XI), whereas camu camu increased stages of mitosis (IX-XI) and meiosis (XII). Mixture of maca + camu camu increased stages of spermiation, mitosis and meiosis. All treatments increased DSP (pmaca. In conclusion, M. dubia (camu camu) has potential effects improving spermatogenesis and co-administered with maca increase stages of mitosis, meiosis and spermiation of the spermatogenic cycle as assessed by the transillumination technique. This technique is becoming increasingly a useful tool for assessment spermatogenesis.

  2. Life Cycle Collection Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helen Shenton

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available Life cycle collection management is a way of taking a long-term approach to the responsible stewardship of the British Library's collections and is one of the Library's strategic strands. It defines the different stages in a collection item's existence over time. These stages range from selection and acquisitions processing, cataloguing and press marking, through to preventive conservation, storage and retrieval. Life cycle collection management seeks to identify the costs of each stage in order to show the economic interdependencies between the phases over time. It thereby aims to demonstrate the long-term consequences of what the library takes into its collections, by making explicit the financial and other implications of decisions made at the beginning of the life cycle for the next 100 plus years. This paper describes the work over the past year at the British Library on this complex and complicated subject. It presents the emerging findings and suggests how it can be used for practical reasons (by individual curators and selectors and for economic, governance and political purposes. The paper describes the next steps in the project, for example, on a predictive data model. The British Library is seeking to benchmark itself against comparable organisations in this area. It intends to work with others on specific comparison for example, of life cycle costing of electronic and paper journals, as a prelude to eliding digital and 'traditional' formats.

  3. An experimental investigation on MEDAD hybrid desalination cycle

    KAUST Repository

    Shahzad, Muhammad Wakil

    2015-04-02

    This paper presents an advanced desalination cycle called "MEDAD" desalination which is a hybrid of the conventional multi-effect distillation (MED) and an adsorption cycle (AD). The combined cycles allow some of MED stages to operate below ambient temperature, as low as 5. °C in contrast to the conventional MED. The MEDAD cycle results in a quantum increase of distillate production at the same top-brine condition. Being lower than the ambient temperature for the bottom stages of hybrid cycle, ambient energy can now be scavenged by the MED processes whilst the AD cycle is powered by low temperature waste heat from exhaust or renewable sources. In this paper, we present the experiments of a 3-stage MED and MEDAD plants. These plants have been tested at assorted heat source temperatures from 15. °C to 70. °C and with portable water as a feed. All system states are monitored including the distillate production and power consumption and the measured results are expressed in terms of performance ratio (PR). It is observed that the synergetic matching of MEDAD cycle led to a quantum increase in distillate production, up to 2.5 to 3 folds vis-a-vis to a conventional MED of the same rating. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Experimental study on an innovative multifunction heat pipe type heat recovery two-stage sorption refrigeration system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, T.X.; Wang, R.Z.; Wang, L.W.; Lu, Z.S.

    2008-01-01

    An innovative multifunction heat pipe type sorption refrigeration system is designed, in which a two-stage sorption thermodynamic cycle based on two heat recovery processes was employed to reduce the driving heat source temperature, and the composite sorbent of CaCl 2 and activated carbon was used to improve the mass and heat transfer performances. For this test unit, the heating, cooling and heat recovery processes between two reactive beds are performed by multifunction heat pipes. The aim of this paper is to investigate the cycled characteristics of two-stage sorption refrigeration system with heat recovery processes. The two sub-cycles of a two-stage cycle have different sorption platforms though the adsorption and desorption temperatures are equivalent. The experimental results showed that the pressure evolutions of two beds are nearly equivalent during the first stage, and desorption pressure during the second stage is large higher than that in the first stage while the desorption temperatures are same during the two operation stages. In comparison with conventional two-stage cycle, the two-stage cycle with heat recovery processes can reduce the heating load for desorber and cooling load for adsorber, the coefficient of performance (COP) has been improved more than 23% when both cycles have the same regeneration temperature of 103 deg. C and the cooling water temperature of 30 deg. C. The advanced two-stage cycle provides an effective method for application of sorption refrigeration technology under the condition of low-grade temperature heat source or utilization of renewable energy

  5. The Earth Science Education Unit's Professional Development Workshop on "The Carbon Question--Cycling, Releasing, Capturing" for Teachers of Key Stages 3 and 4

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Chris

    2014-01-01

    The revised National Curriculum for Science for key stages 3 and 4 (ages 11-16) in England provides the opportunity to develop a new coherent approach to teaching about the carbon cycle, the use of carbon as a fuel and the resulting issues. The Earth Science Education Unit (ESEU) intends to develop a new workshop to support the teaching of this…

  6. Transparency associated with the nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-01-01

    This document presents the different fuel cycle stages with which the CEA is associated, the annual flow of materials and wastes produced at these different stages, and the destiny of these produced materials and wastes. These information are given for the different CEA R and D activities: experimentation hot laboratories (activities, fuel cycle stages, list of laboratories, tables giving annual flows for each of them), research reactors (types of reactors, fuel usage modes, annual flows of nuclear materials for each reactor), spent fuel management (different types of used materials), spent fuels and radioactive wastes with a foreign origin (quantities, processes)

  7. An experimental investigation on MEDAD hybrid desalination cycle

    KAUST Repository

    Shahzad, Muhammad Wakil; Thu, Kyaw; Kim, Yong-deuk; Ng, Kim Choon

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents an advanced desalination cycle called "MEDAD" desalination which is a hybrid of the conventional multi-effect distillation (MED) and an adsorption cycle (AD). The combined cycles allow some of MED stages to operate below ambient

  8. DETERMINANTS OF ENTERPRISES LIFE CYCLE IN MODERN CONDITIONS OF DEVELOPMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alla Polianska

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In the article the theoretical basis of organization life cycle research as well as the particularly of the organization life cycle concept implementation for solving of modern targets of enterprises and organizations development are highlighted. The determinants of one life cycle stage transformation to the other at the enterprises, that allows to better understand the conditions of its functioning and to identify factors that affect the viability of the company and its duration, are considered. Management technologies at different stages of organizations life cycle are proposed. Keywords: enterprise, development, organizations life cycle, determinants, Oil and Gas company JEL: M 20

  9. Neuronal glucose metabolism is impaired while astrocytic TCA cycling is unaffected at symptomatic stages in the hSOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tefera, Tesfaye W; Borges, Karin

    2018-01-01

    Although alterations in energy metabolism are known in ALS, the specific mechanisms leading to energy deficit are not understood. We measured metabolite levels derived from injected [1- 13 C]glucose and [1,2- 13 C]acetate (i.p.) in cerebral cortex and spinal cord extracts of wild type and hSOD1 G93A mice at onset and mid disease stages using high-pressure liquid chromatography, 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Levels of spinal and cortical CNS total lactate, [3- 13 C]lactate, total alanine and [3- 13 C]alanine, but not cortical glucose and [1- 13 C]glucose, were reduced mostly at mid stage indicating impaired glycolysis. The [1- 13 C]glucose-derived [4- 13 C]glutamate, [4- 13 C]glutamine and [2- 13 C]GABA amounts were diminished at mid stage in cortex and both time points in spinal cord, suggesting decreased [3- 13 C]pyruvate entry into the TCA cycle. Lack of changes in [1,2- 13 C]acetate-derived [4,5- 13 C]glutamate, [4,5- 13 C]glutamine and [1,2- 13 C]GABA levels indicate unchanged astrocytic 13 C-acetate metabolism. Reduced levels of leucine, isoleucine and valine in CNS suggest compensatory breakdown to refill TCA cycle intermediate levels. Unlabelled, [2- 13 C] and [4- 13 C]GABA concentrations were decreased in spinal cord indicating that impaired glucose metabolism contributes to hyperexcitability and supporting the use of treatments which increase GABA amounts. In conclusion, CNS glucose metabolism is compromised, while astrocytic TCA cycling appears to be normal in the hSOD1 G93A mouse model at symptomatic disease stages.

  10. Optimization of a single stage inverter with one cycle control for photovoltaic power generation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Egiziano, L.; Femia, N.; Granozio, D.; Petrone, G.; Spagnuolo, G. [Salermo Univ., Salermo (Italy); Vitelli, M. [Seconda Univ. di Napoli, Napoli (Italy)

    2006-07-01

    An optimized one-cycle control (OCC) for maximum power point tracking and power factor correction in grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) applications was described. OCC is a nonlinear control technique that rejects line perturbations and allows both output power factor co-reaction and tracking of input PV fields. An OCC system was analyzed in order to select optimal design parameters. Parameters were refined through the selection of suitable design constraints. A stochastic search was then performed. Criteria were then developed to distinguish appropriate design parameters for the optimized OCC. The optimization was based on advanced heuristic techniques for non-linear constrained optimization. Performance indices were calculated for each feasible set of parameters. A customized perturb and observe control was then applied to the single-stage inverter. Results of the optimization process were validated by a series of time-domain simulations conducted under heavy, varying irradiance conditions. Results of the simulations showed that the optimized controllers showed improved performance in terms of power drawn from the PV field. 7 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs.

  11. Report on the control of the safety and security of nuclear facilities. Part 2: the reconversion of military plutonium stocks. The use of the helps given to central and eastern Europe countries and to the new independent states; Rapport sur le controle de la surete et de la securite des installations nucleaires. Deuxieme partie: la reconversion des stocks de plutonium militaire. L'utilisation des aides accordees aux pays d'Europe centrale et orientale et aux nouveaux etats independants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birraux, C

    2002-07-01

    This report deals with two different aspects of the safety and security of nuclear facilities. The first aspect concerns the reconversion of weapon grade plutonium stocks: the plutonium in excess, plutonium hazards and nuclear fuel potentialities, the US program, the Russian program, the actions of European countries (France, Germany), the intervention of other countries, the unanswered questions (political aspects, uncertainties), the solutions of the future (improvement of reactors, the helium-cooled high temperature reactor technology (gas-turbine modular helium reactor: GT-MHR), the Carlo Rubbia's project). The second aspect concerns the actions carried out by the European Union in favor of the civil nuclear facilities of central and eastern Europe: the European Union competencies through the Euratom treaty, the conclusions of the European audit office about the PHARE and TACIS nuclear programs, the status of committed actions, the coming planned actions, and the critical analysis of the policy adopted so far. (J.S.)

  12. Measuring cell cycle progression kinetics with metabolic labeling and flow cytometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleisig, Helen; Wong, Judy

    2012-05-22

    Precise control of the initiation and subsequent progression through the various phases of the cell cycle are of paramount importance in proliferating cells. Cell cycle division is an integral part of growth and reproduction and deregulation of key cell cycle components have been implicated in the precipitating events of carcinogenesis. Molecular agents in anti-cancer therapies frequently target biological pathways responsible for the regulation and coordination of cell cycle division. Although cell cycle kinetics tend to vary according to cell type, the distribution of cells amongst the four stages of the cell cycle is rather consistent within a particular cell line due to the consistent pattern of mitogen and growth factor expression. Genotoxic events and other cellular stressors can result in a temporary block of cell cycle progression, resulting in arrest or a temporary pause in a particular cell cycle phase to allow for instigation of the appropriate response mechanism. The ability to experimentally observe the behavior of a cell population with reference to their cell cycle progression stage is an important advance in cell biology. Common procedures such as mitotic shake off, differential centrifugation or flow cytometry-based sorting are used to isolate cells at specific stages of the cell cycle. These fractionated, cell cycle phase-enriched populations are then subjected to experimental treatments. Yield, purity and viability of the separated fractions can often be compromised using these physical separation methods. As well, the time lapse between separation of the cell populations and the start of experimental treatment, whereby the fractionated cells can progress from the selected cell cycle stage, can pose significant challenges in the successful implementation and interpretation of these experiments. Other approaches to study cell cycle stages include the use of chemicals to synchronize cells. Treatment of cells with chemical inhibitors of key

  13. How can a life cycle inventory parametric model streamline life cycle assessment in the wooden pallet sector?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Niero, Monia; Di Felice, Francesco; Ren, Jingzheng

    2014-01-01

    , as the information required for fulfilling the LCI are standard information about the features of the wooden pallet and its manufacturing process. The contribution analysis on the reference product revealed that the most contributing life cycle stages are wood and nails extraction and manufacturing (positive value......This study discusses the use of parameterization within the life cycle inventory (LCI) in the wooden pallet sector, in order to test the effectiveness of LCI parametric models to calculate the environmental impacts of similar products. Starting from a single case study, the objectives of this paper......; these correlations can be used to improve the design of new wooden pallets.The conceptual scheme for defining the model is based on ISO14040-44 standards. First of all, the product system was defined identifying the life cycle of a generic wood pallet, as well as its life cycle stages. A list of independent...

  14. Interictal spike frequency varies with ovarian cycle stage in a rat model of epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Amour, James; Magagna-Poveda, Alejandra; Moretto, Jillian; Friedman, Daniel; LaFrancois, John J; Pearce, Patrice; Fenton, Andre A; MacLusky, Neil J; Scharfman, Helen E

    2015-07-01

    In catamenial epilepsy, seizures exhibit a cyclic pattern that parallels the menstrual cycle. Many studies suggest that catamenial seizures are caused by fluctuations in gonadal hormones during the menstrual cycle, but this has been difficult to study in rodent models of epilepsy because the ovarian cycle in rodents, called the estrous cycle, is disrupted by severe seizures. Thus, when epilepsy is severe, estrous cycles become irregular or stop. Therefore, we modified kainic acid (KA)- and pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) models of epilepsy so that seizures were rare for the first months after SE, and conducted video-EEG during this time. The results showed that interictal spikes (IIS) occurred intermittently. All rats with regular 4-day estrous cycles had IIS that waxed and waned with the estrous cycle. The association between the estrous cycle and IIS was strong: if the estrous cycles became irregular transiently, IIS frequency also became irregular, and when the estrous cycle resumed its 4-day pattern, IIS frequency did also. Furthermore, when rats were ovariectomized, or males were recorded, IIS frequency did not show a 4-day pattern. Systemic administration of an estrogen receptor antagonist stopped the estrous cycle transiently, accompanied by transient irregularity of the IIS pattern. Eventually all animals developed severe, frequent seizures and at that time both the estrous cycle and the IIS became irregular. We conclude that the estrous cycle entrains IIS in the modified KA and pilocarpine SE models of epilepsy. The data suggest that the ovarian cycle influences more aspects of epilepsy than seizure susceptibility. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Report on the control of the safety and security of nuclear facilities. Part 2: the reconversion of military plutonium stocks. The use of the helps given to central and eastern Europe countries and to the new independent states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birraux, C.

    2002-01-01

    This report deals with two different aspects of the safety and security of nuclear facilities. The first aspect concerns the reconversion of weapon grade plutonium stocks: the plutonium in excess, plutonium hazards and nuclear fuel potentialities, the US program, the Russian program, the actions of European countries (France, Germany), the intervention of other countries, the unanswered questions (political aspects, uncertainties), the solutions of the future (improvement of reactors, the helium-cooled high temperature reactor technology (gas-turbine modular helium reactor: GT-MHR), the Carlo Rubbia's project). The second aspect concerns the actions carried out by the European Union in favor of the civil nuclear facilities of central and eastern Europe: the European Union competencies through the Euratom treaty, the conclusions of the European audit office about the PHARE and TACIS nuclear programs, the status of committed actions, the coming planned actions, and the critical analysis of the policy adopted so far. (J.S.)

  16. Reconversion écologique et socialisation des retraites : pour une politique industrielle du XXIe siècle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gilles L. Bourque

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Cet article présente une analyse des scénarios possibles au Québec pour assurer la reconversion écologique du secteur des transports collectifs. La réflexion sur l'avenir des politiques industrielles doit en effet intégrer l'impact des changements climatiques et de la réduction de la disponibilité des énergies fossiles. Au Québec, le modèle de développement a toujours intégré la question de l'indépendance énergétique, et plus récemment des énergies renouvelables, à la réflexion sur le modèle de développement. L'apport de la recherche consiste à évaluer, dans une perspective globale pour l'ensemble du secteur et pour le Québec dans son ensemble, les enjeux de l'électrification du transport collectif, autant à l'intérieur des agglomérations que pour le transport entre les pôles régionaux. L'analyse des enjeux de l'électrification du transport collectif porte également sur les modes de financement possibles à l'intérieur du système de retraite au Québec, que ce soit dans le cadre actuel des politiques de placement des régimes de retraite ou encore à travers la création d'outils financiers particuliers comme cela a été fait dans d'autres pays.This article presents a coherent scenario to provide ecological transition of public transport in order to escape from the dependency on non-renewable energy sources. This transition is an important matter for industrial economics and public policy because sectoral level analysis is usually the most effective one. In Québec, the model of development has taken into account for a long time the issue of energetic independence through renewable energy and its impact on industries. This article offers a global evaluation of the costs and financing process for the transition towards electric public transport in large cities and between them. It also shows that it is possible to secure the funds through pension funds investment policy and the creation of green bonds that are

  17. Feasibility of abbreviated cycles of immunochemotherapy for completely resected limited-stage CD20+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (CISL 12-09).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Dok Hyun; Sohn, Byeong Seok; Oh, Sung Yong; Lee, Won-Sik; Lee, Sang Min; Yang, Deok-Hwan; Huh, Jooryung; Suh, Cheolwon

    2017-02-21

    The appropriate number of chemotherapy cycles for limited stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients without gross residual lesions after complete resection, has not been specifically questioned. We performed a multicenter, single-arm, phase 2 study to investigate the feasibility of 3 cycles of abbreviated R-CHOP chemotherapy in low-risk patients with completely resected localized CD20+ DLBCL. Between December 2010 and May 2013, we recruited 23 patients. One was excluded due to ineligibility, and hence, 22 were included in the final analysis. The primary sites comprised the intestine (n = 15), cervical lymph nodes (n = 4), stomach (n = 1), tonsil (n = 1), and spleen (n = 1). All patients successfully completed the 3 cycles of planned R-CHOP chemotherapy. Over a median follow-up of 39.5 months (95% confidence interval, 29.9-47.1 months), both the estimated 2-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates was 95% confidence interval, 85.9-104.1%. Only one patient with an international prognostic index of 2 experienced relapse and died. The most common grade 3 or 4 toxicity condition included neutropenia (n = 8, 36.4%). Three patients experienced grade 3 febrile neutropenia, but no grade 3 or 4 non-hematologic toxicity was observed. DLBCL patients without residual lesions after resection were enrolled and R-CHOP chemotherapy was repeated at 3-week-intervals over 3 cycles. The primary endpoint was 2-year disease-free survival. Three cycles of abbreviated R-CHOP immunochemotherapy is feasible for completely resected low risk localized DLBCL.

  18. Life cycle characteristics of SME’s

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Masurel, E.; Montfort, van K.

    2006-01-01

    Our study of professional services firms clearly revealed that firms change over the course of their life cycles. During the first three stages, diversification in sales, the differentiation in labor force, and the level of labor productivity increase. In the last stage, diversification in sales,

  19. Population structure and maturity stages of Fritillaria borealis (Appendicularia, Tunicata: seasonal cycle in Ushuaia Bay (Beagle Channel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Laura Presta

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available AbstractFritillaria borealis is a cosmopolitan species, very frequent in sub-antarctic and antarctic waters. The objective of this paper was to analyze its size structure and maturity stages at two sites in Ushuaia Bay: a coastal site exposed to anthropogenic pressure (E1 and a reference site (E2 located in the external zone of the bay. Zooplankton was collected during the 2012 seasonal cycle. The sampling method involved the use of a 67 µm-mesh net. Appendicularians were classified in four maturity stages: I undifferentiated gonads, II testis and ovary differentiated, III expanded testis, IV discharged testis, expanded ovary. Our results showed that the highest densities of F. borealisoccurred in spring and summer at both sites; coinciding with high values of chlorophyll-a. The percentage of juveniles (I and II exhibited a spatial and temporal pattern similar to that observed for chlorophyll-a values. During spring-summer, juveniles and mature specimens (III and IV showed a greater gonadal development than those individuals found in autumn-winter. In conclusion, the mismatching in the population structure and the pattern of densities of F. borealis between coastal and external zones would suggest the existence of two sub-populations susceptible to the influence of the anthropogenic impact in the bay.

  20. A life cycle database for parasitic acanthocephalans, cestodes, and nematodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benesh, Daniel P.; Lafferty, Kevin D.; Kuris, Armand

    2017-01-01

    Parasitologists have worked out many complex life cycles over the last ~150 years, yet there have been few efforts to synthesize this information to facilitate comparisons among taxa. Most existing host-parasite databases focus on particular host taxa, do not distinguish final from intermediate hosts, and lack parasite life-history information. We summarized the known life cycles of trophically transmitted parasitic acanthocephalans, cestodes, and nematodes. For 973 parasite species, we gathered information from the literature on the hosts infected at each stage of the parasite life cycle (8510 host-parasite species associations), what parasite stage is in each host, and whether parasites need to infect certain hosts to complete the life cycle. We also collected life-history data for these parasites at each life cycle stage, including 2313 development time measurements and 7660 body size measurements. The result is the most comprehensive data summary available for these parasite taxa. In addition to identifying gaps in our knowledge of parasite life cycles, these data can be used to test hypotheses about life cycle evolution, host specificity, parasite life-history strategies, and the roles of parasites in food webs.

  1. Implementing Life Cycle Assessment in Product development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bhander, Gurbakhash Singh

    2003-01-01

    The overall aim of the paper is to provide an understanding of the environmental issues involved in the early stages of product development and the capacity of life cycle assessment techniques to address these issues. The paper aims to outline the problems for the designer in evaluating the envir......The overall aim of the paper is to provide an understanding of the environmental issues involved in the early stages of product development and the capacity of life cycle assessment techniques to address these issues. The paper aims to outline the problems for the designer in evaluating......, and of the opportunities for introducing environmental criteria in the design process through meeting the information requirements of the designer on the different life cycle stages, producing an in-depth understanding of the attitudes of practitioners among product developers to the subject area, and an understanding...... of possible future directions for product development. An Environmentally Conscious Design method is introduced and trade-offs are presented between design degrees of freedom and environmental solutions. Life cycle design frameworks and strategies are addressed. The paper collects experiences and ideas around...

  2. LIFE CYCLE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. S. Sennik

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This work is a generalization of the theoretical propositions related to the life cycle of information systems. There was given the definition of the life cycle, specify which items you should include every step of the cycle. Describes the methodology division of the life cycle on the main stage, including methodology Rational Unified Process. The description of the fundamental standards in this area. Special attention was paid to the work of the basic life cycle models. It was carried out their comparative characteristics. On the basis of the theoretical propositions, it was concluded that the preferred model of the life cycle for the corporate network is a spiral model and the use of international standards in the life cycle saves a lot of effort, time and material resources.

  3. Impact of Dose Reductions, Delays Between Chemotherapy Cycles, and/or Shorter Courses of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer Patients: a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sgouros, Joseph; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Kouvatseas, George; Rapti, Anna; Stamoulis, George; Bisvikis, Anastasios; Res, Helen; Samantas, Epameinondas

    2015-12-01

    Most stage II or III colorectal cancer patients are receiving nowadays a 4 to 6-month course of adjuvant chemotherapy. However, delays between cycles, reductions in the doses of chemotherapy drugs, or even permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles might take place due to side effects or patient's preference. We examined the impact of these treatment modifications on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). We retrospectively collected data from colorectal cancer patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy in our Department. Patients were categorized in five groups based on whether they had or not delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions, and permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles. Three-year RFS and OS of the five different groups were compared using the log-rank test and the Sidak approach. Five hundred and eight patients received treatment. Twenty seven percent of the patients had the full course of chemotherapy; the others had delays, dose reductions, or early termination of the treatment. No statistically significant differences were observed in 3-year RFS and OS between the five groups. A trend for worse RFS was noticed with early termination of treatment. A similar trend was also noticed for OS but only for stage II patients. In colorectal cancer patients, receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions of chemotherapy drugs, or even early termination of the treatment course do not seem to have a negative impact in 3-year RFS and OS; however, due to the trend of worse RFS in patients receiving shorter courses of chemotherapy, further studies are needed.

  4. Multicenter Phase II Study Evaluating Two Cycles of Docetaxel, Cisplatin and Cetuximab as Induction Regimen Prior to Surgery in Chemotherapy-Naive Patients with NSCLC Stage IB-IIIA (INN06-Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wolfgang Hilbe

    Full Text Available Different strategies for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with early stage NSCLC have already been evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of a chemoimmunotherapy when limited to two cycles.Between 01/2007 and 03/2010 41 patients with primarily resectable NSCLC stage IB to IIIA were included. Treatment consisted of two cycles cisplatin (40 mg/m2 d1+2 and docetaxel (75 mg/m2 d1 q3 weeks, accompanied by the administration of cetuximab (400 mg/m2 d1, then 250 mg weekly. The primary endpoint was radiological response according to RECIST.40 patients were evaluable for toxicity, 39 for response. The main grade 3/4 toxicities were: neutropenia 25%, leucopenia 11%, febrile neutropenia 6%, nausea 8% and rash 8%. 20 patients achieved a partial response, 17 a stable disease, 2 were not evaluable. 37 patients (95% underwent surgery and in three of them a complete pathological response was achieved. At a median follow-up of 44.2 months, 41% of the patients had died, median progression-free survival was 22.5 months.Two cycles of cisplatin/ docetaxel/ cetuximab showed promising efficacy in the neoadjuvant treatment of early-stage NSCLC and rapid operation was possible in 95% of patients. Toxicities were manageable and as expected.EU Clinical Trials Register; Eudract-Nr: 2006-004639-31.

  5. Sustainable Nanotechnology: Through Green Methods and Life-Cycle Thinking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rapinder Sawhney

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Citing the myriad applications of nanotechnology, this paper emphasizes the need to conduct “life cycle” based assessments as early in the new product development process as possible, for a better understanding of the potential environmental and human health consequences of nanomaterials over the entire life cycle of a nano-enabled product. The importance of this reasoning is further reinforced through an illustrative case study on automotive exterior body panels, which shows that the perceived environmental benefits of nano-based products in the Use stage may not adequately represent the complete picture, without examining the impacts in the other life cycle stages, particularly Materials Processing and Manufacturing. Nanomanufacturing methods often have associated environmental and human health impacts, which must be kept in perspective when evaluating nanoproducts for their “greenness.” Incorporating life-cycle thinking for making informed decisions at the product design stage, combining life cycle and risk analysis, using sustainable manufacturing practices, and employing green chemistry alternatives are seen as possible solutions.

  6. Prospects for Australian involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandra, S.; Hallenstein, C.

    1988-05-01

    A review of recent overseas developments in the nuclear industry by The Northern Territory Department of Mines and Energy suggests that there are market prospects in all stages of the fuel cycle. Australia could secure those markets through aggressive marketing and competitive prices. This report gives a profile of the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear fuel cycle technologies, and describes the prospects of Australian involvement in the nuclear fuel cycle. It concludes that the nuclear fuel cycle industry has the potential to earn around $10 billion per year in export income. It recommend that the Federal Government: (1) re-examines its position on the Slayter recommendation (1984) that Australia should develop new uranium mines and further stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, and (2) gives it's in-principle agreement to the Northern Territory to seek expressions of interest from the nuclear industry for the establishment of an integrated nuclear fuel cycle industry in the Northern Territory

  7. Aspects of the fast reactors fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zouain, D.M.

    1982-06-01

    The fuel cycle for fast reactors, is analysed, regarding the technical aspects of the developing of the reprocessing stages and the fuel fabrication. The environmental impact of LMFBRs and the waste management of this cycle are studied. The economic aspects of the fuel cycle, are studied too. Some coments about the Brazilian fast reactors programs are done. (E.G.) [pt

  8. Life Cycle Development of Obesity and Its Determinants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cavaco, Sandra; Eriksson, Tor; Skalli, Ali

    This paper is concerned with how obesity and some of its determinants develop over individuals’ life cycles. In particular we examine empirically the role and relative importance of early life conditions (parents’ education and socioeconomic status) and individuals’ own education as adults and how...... their impacts on the probability of overweight and obesity evolves over the life cycle. As the data set includes information about the individuals’ health behaviours (smoking and physical exercise) at various ages we can also examine the impact of these at different stages of the persons’ life cycle. The data......’ socioeconomic status predicts obesity in early adulthood whereas individuals’ own socioeconomic status as adults is more important in explaining obesity at later stages of the life cycle, and (iii) changes in obesity status are associated with changes in health behaviours....

  9. The nuclear fuel cycle: (2) fuel element manufacture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doran, J.

    1976-01-01

    Large-scale production of nuclear fuel in the United Kingdom is carried out at Springfields Works of British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., a company formed from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority in 1971. The paper describes in some detail the Springfields Works processes for the conversion of uranium ore concentrate to uranium tetrafluoride, then conversion of the tetrafluoride to either uranium metal for cladding in Magnox to form fuel for the British Mk I gas-cooled reactors, or to uranium hexafluoride for enrichment of the fissile 235 U isotope content at the Capenhurst Works of BNFL. Details are given of the reconversion at Springfields Works of this enriched uranium hexafluoride to uranium dioxide, which is pelleted and then clad in either stainless steel or zircaloy containers to form the fuel assemblies for the British Mk II AGR or advanced gas-cooled reactors or for the water reactor fuels. (author)

  10. Dry uranium tetrafluoride process preparation using the uranium hexafluoride reconversion process effluents; Processo alternativo para obtencao de tetrafluoreto de uranio a partir de efluentes fluoretados da etapa de reconversao de uranio

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva Neto, Joao Batista da

    2008-07-01

    It is a well known fact that the use of uranium tetrafluoride allows flexibility in the production of uranium suicide and uranium oxide fuel. To its obtention there are two conventional routes, the one which reduces uranium from the UF{sub 6} hydrolysis solution with stannous chloride, and the hydro fluorination of a solid uranium dioxide. In this work we are introducing a third and a dry way route, mainly utilized to the recovery of uranium from the liquid effluents generated in the uranium hexafluoride reconversion process, at IPEN/CNEN-SP. Working in the liquid phase, this route comprises the recuperation of ammonium fluoride by NH{sub 4}HF{sub 2} precipitation. Working with the solid residues, the crystallized bifluoride is added to the solid UO{sub 2}, which comes from the U mini plates recovery, also to its conversion in a solid state reaction, to obtain UF{sub 4}. That returns to the process of metallic uranium production unity to the U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} obtention. This fuel is considered in IPEN CNEN/SP as the high density fuel phase for IEA-R1m reactor, which will replace the former low density U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}-Al fuel. (author)

  11. Optimization of advanced high-temperature Brayton cycles with multiple reheat stages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haihua Zhao; Per F Peterson

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: This paper presents an overview and a few point designs for multiple-reheat Brayton cycle power conversion systems using high temperature molten salts (or liquid metals). All designs are derived from the General Atomics GT-MHR power conversion unit (PCU). The GT-MHR PCU is currently the only closed helium cycle system that has undergone detailed engineering design analysis, and that has turbomachinery which is sufficiently large to extrapolate to a >1000 MW(e) multiple reheat gas cycle power conversion system. Analysis shows that, with relatively small engineering modifications, multiple GT-MHR PCU's can be connected together to create a power conversion system in the >1000 MW(e) class. The resulting power conversion system is quite compact, and results in what is likely the minimum gas duct volume possible for a multiple-reheat system. To realize this, compact offset fin plate type liquid-to-gas heat exchangers (power densities from 10 to 120 MW/m 3 ) are needed. Both metal and non-metal heat exchangers are being investigated for high-temperature, gas-cooled reactors for temperatures to 1000 deg. C. Recent high temperature heat exchanger studies for nuclear hydrogen production has suggested that carbon-coated composite materials such as liquid silicon infiltrated chopped fiber carbon-carbon preformed material potentially could be used to fabricate plate fin heat exchangers with reasonable price. Different fluids such as helium, nitrogen and helium mixture, and supercritical CO 2 are compared for these multiple reheat Brayton cycles. Nitrogen and helium mixture cycle need about 40% more total PCU volume than helium cycle while keeping the same net cycle efficiency. Supercritical CO 2 needs very high pressure to optimize. Due to relatively detailed design for components such as heat exchangers, turbomachinery, and duct system, relatively accurate total pressure loss can be obtained, which results in more credible net efficiency

  12. [The sanitary and hygienic state of solid garbage burial grounds in the stages of a life cycle].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zomarev, A M; Vaĭsman, Ia I; Zaĭtseva, T A; Glushankova, I S

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to assess the sanitary-and-hygienic state of solid garbage (SG) burial grounds in the Perm Territory in different stage of a life cycle. This paper presents the results of the study of deposited waste, forming dump soil, and SG ground emissions by general sanitary and sanitary-microbiological parameters and their effect on environmental objects. The performed studies of the sanitary-and-hygienic situation on some grounds of the Perm Territory suggest that there is a need for setting up a system for sanitary-and-monitoring of SG ground and for elaborating engineering, organizational, and prophylactic measures to assure the sanitary-and-hygienic safety of objects and to control the quality and quantity of waste to be buried and the currents of emissions (ground body degassing, filtrating sewage drainage and purification).

  13. Prenatal stress modifies behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function in female guinea pig offspring: effects of timing of prenatal stress and stage of reproductive cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapoor, Amita; Matthews, Stephen G

    2008-12-01

    Prenatal stress is associated with altered behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function postnatally. Recent studies suggest that these outcomes are dependent on the timing of the prenatal stress. The majority of these studies have been carried out in male offspring. We hypothesized that a short period of prenatal stress would result in female offspring that exhibit differences in open-field behavior and HPA axis activity, but the outcome would depend on the timing of the prenatal stress and the stage of the reproductive cycle. Pregnant guinea pigs were exposed to a strobe light during the fetal brain growth spurt [gestational d 50-52 (PS50)] or during the period of rapid brain myelination [gestational d 60-62 (PS60)]. Open-field activity was assessed in juvenile and adult female offspring. HPA axis function was tested in adult offspring. All tests in adulthood were carried out during the estrous and luteal phases of the reproductive cycle to determine the effect of stage on HPA axis programming. Tissues were collected upon completion of the study for analysis by in situ hybridization. PS60 offspring exhibited decreased activity in an open field during the estrous phase of the reproductive cycle compared with control offspring. Both PS50 and PS60 offspring exhibited a lower salivary cortisol response to a stressor, only during the estrous phase. Consistent with the behavioral and endocrine data, PS60 females exhibited lower plasma estradiol levels, reduced ovary weight, and increased glucocorticoid receptor mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that there are effects of prenatal stress on behavior and HPA axis functioning in female offspring but that the outcomes are dependent on the timing of the prenatal stress together with the status of the reproductive cycle.

  14. The Activities of Current Antimalarial Drugs on the Life Cycle Stages of Plasmodium: A Comparative Study with Human and Rodent Parasites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delves, Michael; Plouffe, David; Scheurer, Christian; Meister, Stephan; Wittlin, Sergio; Winzeler, Elizabeth A.; Sinden, Robert E.; Leroy, Didier

    2012-01-01

    Background Malaria remains a disease of devastating global impact, killing more than 800,000 people every year—the vast majority being children under the age of 5. While effective therapies are available, if malaria is to be eradicated a broader range of small molecule therapeutics that are able to target the liver and the transmissible sexual stages are required. These new medicines are needed both to meet the challenge of malaria eradication and to circumvent resistance. Methods and Findings Little is known about the wider stage-specific activities of current antimalarials that were primarily designed to alleviate symptoms of malaria in the blood stage. To overcome this critical gap, we developed assays to measure activity of antimalarials against all life stages of malaria parasites, using a diverse set of human and nonhuman parasite species, including male gamete production (exflagellation) in Plasmodium falciparum, ookinete development in P. berghei, oocyst development in P. berghei and P. falciparum, and the liver stage of P. yoelii. We then compared 50 current and experimental antimalarials in these assays. We show that endoperoxides such as OZ439, a stable synthetic molecule currently in clinical phase IIa trials, are strong inhibitors of gametocyte maturation/gamete formation and impact sporogony; lumefantrine impairs development in the vector; and NPC-1161B, a new 8-aminoquinoline, inhibits sporogony. Conclusions These data enable objective comparisons of the strengths and weaknesses of each chemical class at targeting each stage of the lifecycle. Noting that the activities of many compounds lie within achievable blood concentrations, these results offer an invaluable guide to decisions regarding which drugs to combine in the next-generation of antimalarial drugs. This study might reveal the potential of life-cycle–wide analyses of drugs for other pathogens with complex life cycles. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID

  15. Disruptive cell cycle regulation involving epigenetic downregulation of Cdkn2a (p16Ink4a) in early-stage liver tumor-promotion facilitating liver cell regeneration in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuchiya, Takuma; Wang, Liyun; Yafune, Atsunori; Kimura, Masayuki; Ohishi, Takumi; Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Mitsumori, Kunitoshi; Shibutani, Makoto

    2012-01-01

    Cell cycle aberration was immunohistochemically examined in relation to preneoplastic liver cell foci expressing glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) at early stages of tumor-promotion in rats with thioacetamide (TAA), a hepatocarcinogen facilitating liver cell regeneration. Immunoexpression of p16 Ink4a following exposure to other hepatocarcinogens/promoters and its DNA methylation status were also analyzed during early and late tumor-promotion stages. GST-P + liver cell foci increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis when compared with surrounding liver cells. In concordance with GST-P + foci, checkpoint proteins at G 1 /S (p21 Cip1 , p27 Kip1 and p16 Ink4a ) and G 2 /M (phospho-checkpoint kinase 1, Cdc25c and phospho-Wee1) were either up- or downregulated. Cellular distribution within GST-P + foci was either increased or decreased with proteins related to G 2 -M phase or DNA damage (topoisomerase IIα, phospho-histone H2AX, phospho-histone H3 and Cdc2). In particular, p16 Ink4a typically downregulated in GST-P + foci and regenerative nodules at early tumor-promotion stage with hepatocarcinogens facilitating liver cell regeneration and in neoplastic lesions at late tumor-promotion stage with hepatocarcinogens/promoters irrespective of regenerating potential. Hypermethylation at exon 2 of Cdkn2a was detected at both early- and late-stages. Thus, diverse disruptive expression of G 1 /S and G 2 /M proteins, which allows for clonal selection of GST-P + foci, results in the acquisition of multiple aberrant phenotypes to disrupt checkpoint function. Moreover, increased DNA-damage responses within GST-P + foci may be the signature of genetic alterations. Intraexonic hypermethylation may be responsible for p16 Ink4a -downregulation, which facilitates cell cycle progression in early preneoplastic lesions produced by repeated cell regeneration and late-stage neoplastic lesions irrespective of the carcinogenic mechanism.

  16. The reproductive cycle of the oyster Crassostrea gasar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHAM Gomes

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to analyze the reproductive cycle of the oyster Crassostrea gasar (= C. brasiliana in the field and the laboratory. The reproductive cycle of the animals was evaluated in the field at Sambaqui Beach, Florianópolis, SC (27° 29′18″ S and 48° 32′12″ W from May 2008 through November 2009. In July, the animals were in the resting stage. The early growth stage began in August and was followed by the late growth stage in October. In November and December, the oysters began to enter the mature stage. Females in spawning condition were predominant during these months. The stages of the reproductive cycle were positively associated with temperature (r=0.77, P<0.01 and negatively associated with salinity (r=−0.56, P=0.042. These findings demonstrated that increased temperature and reduced salinity influence the reproductive development of Crassostrea gasar. The condition index (CI of the animals was also associated with the seawater temperature. The highest values of the condition index were observed during the months when the temperature of the seawater was gradually increasing. A laboratory experiment was performed to test the effect of salinity on the reproductive cycle of the oysters. The experiment was conducted in standardized tanks. The animals were conditioned using two salinities (24‰ and 34‰. The salinity regime influenced the development of the gonadal tissue of the oysters. A salinity of 24‰ produced greater reproductive development.

  17. Cycle-to-cycle fluctuation of combustion in a spark-ignition engine; Hibana tenka engine no nensho hendo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamamoto, Y; Yoshiyama, S; Tomita, E; Hamagami, T [Okayama University, Okayama (Japan); Otsubo, H [Yammer Diesel Engine Co. Ltd. Tokyo (Japan)

    1997-10-01

    In a homogeneous charge spark-ignition engine, the duration of early stage of combustion is a dominant factor for determining the fluctuation of mean effective pressure. And the early stage of combustion varies with the equivalence ratio and turbulence characteristics of the mixture. In this study, the fluctuations of 1% combustion duration and indicated mean effective pressure Pmi were computed as the function of fluctuations both in the equivalence ratio {phi} of the mixture and in the turbulence characteristics of the cylinder charge. And effects of the spark timing {theta}ig and {phi} on the cycle-to-cycle fluctuation in Pmi were investigated. 16 refs., 6 figs.

  18. The experimental study of a two-stage photovoltaic thermal system based on solar trough concentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan, Lijun; Ji, Xu; Li, Ming; Leng, Congbin; Luo, Xi; Li, Haili

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A two-stage photovoltaic thermal system based on solar trough concentration. • Maximum cell efficiency of 5.21% with the mirror opening width of 57 cm. • With single cycle, maximum temperatures rise in the heating stage is 12.06 °C. • With 30 min multiple cycles, working medium temperature 62.8 °C, increased 28.7 °C. - Abstract: A two-stage photovoltaic thermal system based on solar trough concentration is proposed, in which the metal cavity heating stage is added on the basis of the PV/T stage, and thermal energy with higher temperature is output while electric energy is output. With the 1.8 m 2 mirror PV/T system, the characteristic parameters of the space solar cell under non-concentrating solar radiation and concentrating solar radiation are respectively tested experimentally, and the solar cell output characteristics at different opening widths of concentrating mirror of the PV/T stage under condensation are also tested experimentally. When the mirror opening width was 57 cm, the solar cell efficiency reached maximum value of 5.21%. The experimental platform of the two-stage photovoltaic thermal system was established, with a 1.8 m 2 mirror PV/T stage and a 15 m 2 mirror heating stage, or a 1.8 m 2 mirror PV/T stage and a 30 m 2 mirror heating stage. The results showed that with single cycle, the long metal cavity heating stage would bring lower thermal efficiency, but temperature rise of the working medium is higher, up to 12.06 °C with only single cycle. With 30 min closed multiple cycles, the temperature of the working medium in the water tank was 62.8 °C, with an increase of 28.7 °C, and thermal energy with higher temperature could be output

  19. Regulation of the cell cycle by irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akashi, Makoto

    1995-01-01

    The molecular mechanism of cell proliferation is extremely complex; deregulation results in neoplastic transformation. In eukaryotes, proliferation of cells is finely regulated through the cell cycle. Studies have shown that the cell cycle is regulated by s series of enzymes known as cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). The activities of CDKs are controlled by their association with regulatory subunits, cyclins; the expression of cyclins and the activation of the different cyclin-CDK complexes are required for the cell to cycle. Thus, the cell cycle is regulated by activating and inhibiting phosphorylation of the CDK subunits and this program has internal check points at different stages of the cell cycle. When cells are exposed to external insults such as DNA damaging agents, negative regulation of the cell cycle occurs; arrest in either G1 or G2 stage is induced to prevent the cells from prematurely entering into the next stage before DNA is repaired. Recently, a potent inhibitor of CDKs, which inhibits the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma susceptibility (Rb) gene product by cyclin A-CDK2, cyclin E-CDK2, cyclin D1-CDK4, and cyclin D2-CDK4 complexes has been identified. This protein named WAF1, Sdi1, Cip1, or p21 (a protein of Mr 21,000) contains a p53-binding site in its promoter and studies have reported that the expression of WAF1 was directly regulated by p53; cells with loss of p53 activity due to mutational alteration were unable to induce WAF1. This chapter will be focused on the mechanisms of the cell cycle including inhibitors of CDKs, and the induction of WAF1 by irradiation through a pathway independent of p53 will be also described. (author)

  20. Integrated corporate structure life cycle management modeling and organization

    OpenAIRE

    Naumenko, M.; Morozova, L.

    2011-01-01

    Integrated business structure presented as complementary pool of its participants skills. The methodical approach to integrated business structure life cycle modeling proposed. Recommendations of enterprises life cycles stages correlate are submitted.

  1. Division of volcanic activity cycles in the late mesozoic in South Jiangxi and North Guangdong

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Qinglong; Wu Jianhua

    1999-01-01

    Based on stratigraphical unconformity, rock association, fossil assemblage, isotope age and tectonic features, the volcanic activity in late Mesozoic in south Jiangxi and north Guandong can be divided into four cycles: Yutian volcanic activity cycle, Lianhuazhai volcanic activity cycle. Banshi volcanic activity cycle and Nanxiong volcanic activity cycle. Yutian volcanic cycle which occurs in middle Jurassic epoch is the bimodal rock association composed of rhyolite and basalt. Lianhuazhai volcanic cycle which occurs in late Jurassic epoch is unimodal rock association composed of rhyolite. Banshi volcanic cycle occurs from the late stage of early Cretaceous to the early stage of late Cretaceous epoch. There are two types of rock associations related to this cycle: unimodal rock association composed of rhyolite or basalt and bimodal rock association composed of rhyolite and basalt. Nanxiong volcanic activity cycle which occurred in late stage of late Cretaceous epoch is the unimodal rock association composed of basalt which is the interlayer of the red sedimentary series

  2. Small business life cycle: statics and dynamics (S

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matejun Marek

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the paper is the presentation of theoretical foundations and the structure of original, 8-stage statics and dynamics model in the small business life cycle. Based on theoretical considerations, two hypotheses concerning the impact of dynamic and static nature of the life-cycle stages on selected determinants and effects of SMEs’ development were formulated. The hypotheses were verified based on the results of the survey conducted on a sample of 1,741 SMEs from 22 countries of the European Union. The results indicate that companies in the dynamic life-cycle stages are run by more enterprising owners, operate in more promising markets with a higher potential and make greater use of market niches thus limiting the level of competition. At the same time, such companies are characterised by higher levels of flexibility and involvement in innovative activities, which translates into obtaining a significantly higher level of business performance, in the area of quantitative as well as qualitative results.

  3. One-stage or multi-stage creep fatigue behaviour of heat-resistant steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kloos, K.H.; Granacher, J.; Scholz, A.

    1994-01-01

    For one stage realistic long term alternating strain tests on two forged steels with the duration of tests up to an order of magnitude of 45,000 hours, the generalised damage accumulation rule, using an optimised evaluation process dealing with pre-stress effects leads to a relative creep fatigue service life of one. A replacement description by the modified service life share rule is indicated for the long term area. First results from realistic three step tests are classified in the scatter band of single stage stress, where there are only slight differences from different cycle counting processes. (orig.) [de

  4. Results of an Advanced Fan Stage Operating Over a Wide Range of Speed and Bypass Ratio. Part 1; Fan Stage Design and Experimental Results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suder, Kenneth L.; Prahst, Patricia S.; Thorp, Scott A.

    2011-01-01

    NASA s Fundamental Aeronautics Program is investigating turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) propulsion systems for access to space because it provides the potential for aircraft-like, space-launch operations that may significantly reduce launch costs and improve safety. To this end, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and General Electric (GE) teamed to design a Mach 4 variable cycle turbofan/ramjet engine for access to space. To enable the wide operating range of a Mach 4+ variable cycle turbofan ramjet required the development of a unique fan stage design capable of multi-point operation to accommodate variations in bypass ratio (10 ), fan speed (7 ), inlet mass flow (3.5 ), inlet pressure (8 ), and inlet temperature (3 ). In this paper, NASA has set out to characterize a TBCC engine fan stage aerodynamic performance and stability limits over a wide operating range including power-on and hypersonic-unique "windmill" operation. Herein, we will present the fan stage design, and the experimental test results of the fan stage operating from 15 to 100 percent corrected design speed. Whereas, in the companion paper, we will provide an assessment of NASA s APNASA code s ability to predict the fan stage performance and operability over a wide range of speed and bypass ratio.

  5. Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine inlet

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-01-01

    Pictured is a component of the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine. This engine was designed to ultimately serve as the near term basis for Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) air breathing propulsion systems and ultimately a Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) air breathing propulsion system.

  6. Very low dose and dose-rate X-ray induced adaptive response in human lymphocytes at various cell cycle stages against bleomycin induced chromatid aberrations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hossein Mozdarani; Moghadam, R.N.

    2007-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. Objective: To study the adaptive response induced by very low doses of X-rays at very low dose rate in human lymphocytes at different cell cycle stages followed by a challenge dose of bleomycin sulphate at G2 phase. Materials and Methods: Human peripheral blood lymphocytes before (G0) and after PHA stimulation (G1 and G2) were exposed to 1 and 5 cGy X-rays generated by a fluoroscopy unit with a dose rate of 5.56 mGy/min and challenged with 5 μg/ml bleomycin sulphate (BLM) 48 hours after culture initiation. Mitotic cells were arrested at metaphase by addition of colcemid in cultures 1.5 h before harvesting. Harvesting and slide preparation was performed using standard method. 100 well spread metaphases were analyzed for the presence of chromatid type aberrations for each sample. Results: Results obtained indicate that there is a linear relationship between the dose of BLM and chromatid aberrations below 5 μg/ml (R=0.93, p<0.0001). The results also show that pretreatment of lymphocytes with low dose X-rays at G0, G1 and G2 phases of the cell cycle significantly reduced the sensitivity of lymphocytes to the clastogenic effects of BLM in G2. Much lower frequencies of chromatid aberrations were observed in X-ray irradiated lymphocytes following BLM treatment (p<0.05). The magnitudes of adaptation induced at different phases of the cell cycle were not significantly different. Furthermore, there was no a significant difference in the magnitude of adaptive response induced by either 1 or 5 cGy X-rays. Conclusion: These observations might indicate that resistance of pre-exposure of lymphocytes to very low doses of X-rays protects them from clastogenic effects of BLM. This effect might be due to initial DNA damage induced in these cells leading to provocation of an active DNA repair mechanism independent of cell cycle stage.

  7. Studies of a Combined-Cycle Engine

    OpenAIRE

    苅田, 丈士; KANDA, Takeshi

    2003-01-01

    For a Single-Stage-to-Orbit (SSTO) aerospace plane (Fig.1), several engines will be necessary to reach orbit. The combined-cycle engine incorporates several operational modes in a single engine. Study of the combined cycle engine has a long history, and several kinds of such engines have been proposed and studied. When several engines are mounted on a vehicle, each engine of the system will show a performance higher than that of the combined cycle engine. However, during the operation of one ...

  8. Express Control of the Mechanical Properties of High-Strength and Hard-to-Machine Materials at All Stages of the Technological Cycle of Producing Mechanical Engineering Products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matyunin, V. M.; Marchenkov, A. Yu.; Demidov, A. N.; Karimbekov, M. A.

    2017-12-01

    It is shown that depth-sensing indentation can be used to perform express control of the mechanical properties of high-strength and hard-to-machine materials. This control can be performed at various stages of a technological cycle of processing materials and parts without preparing and testing tensile specimens, which will significantly reduce the consumption of materials, time, and labor.

  9. Reconversion(s territoriale(s sur l’avenue de Kurtuluş

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cilia Martin

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Le quartier de Kurtuluş à Istanbul, héritier de l’ancien village de Tatavla, se forme et se développe jusqu’au milieu du XXe siècle. A partir des années 1950, le départ des minoritaires rum, jusque là quasi majoritaires, et l’arrivée des migrants anatoliens provoquent des ruptures démographiques considérables. Ces mobilités suscitent une diversité de modes territoriaux et produisent de nouvelles centralités, observables aussi par le bais du commerce et récemment à travers les stratégies mémorielles qui réédifient le passé rum du quartier. Enfin, ces territorialités participent à la recomposition du quartier et seront analysées à l’échelle d’une avenue phare, l’avenue de Kurtuluş.The neighborhood of Kurtuluş, heritage of the ancient village of Tatavla, was formed and developed till the mid of the 20th century. From 1950, along with the departure of the Rum minorities, which were considered till that time as quasi majorities, and with the arrival of Anatolian migrants, considerable demographical ruptures were provoked. Thoses mobilities create a diversity of territorial modes and give birth to new centralities, seen also throughout the commerce and recently from within the memorial strategies which rebuild the rum past of the neighborhood. Finally, those territorialities participate to the recomposition of the neigborhood and will be analysed through the scale of a headlight avenue, the avenue of Kurtuluş.

  10. Rehabilitating closed mining sites in North Rhine Westphalia's coal basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mennekes, A.; Bekemeier, K.

    2004-01-01

    The Ruhr is a German region undergoing a reconversion. In recent years, several thousand jobs have been lost in the coal, iron and steel industries, especially in coal mines. This trend is going to continue. Rehabilitating former industrial sites so that they can welcome new industries and businesses, is decisive for this region. A rapid and financially advantageous reconversion requires coherence and continuity in the rehabilitation measures undertaken by the companies that serve as receivers, by local authorities and by investors who want to launch new projects. All these parties must manage the various phases of this process in a spirit of coordination. Germany can boast of a series of successful reconversions into industrial areas, exhibition facilities, nature reserves, tourist centers and leisure and rest places

  11. Environmental challenges of anthropogenic metals flows and cycles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van der Voet, Ester; Salminen, Reijo; Eckelman, Matthew

    This report from the UNEP-hosted International Resource Panel, Environmental Risk and Challenges of Anthropogenic Metals Flows and Cycles, gives a clear picture of the potential environmental impacts of metals at different stages of the life-cycle while linking with other areas of resource use...

  12. [Circadian rhythm variation of the clock genes Per1 and cell cycle related genes in different stages of carcinogenesis of buccal mucosa in animal model].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Xuemei; Ye, Hua; Yang, Kai; Chen, Dan; Tang, Hong

    2015-07-01

    To investigate the expression and circadian rhythm variation of biological clock gene Per1 and cell cycle genes p53, CyclinD1, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK1), CyclinB1 in different stages of carcinogenesis in buccal mucosa and its relationship with the development of buccal mucosa carcinoma. Ninety golden hamsters were housed under 12 hours light-12 hours dark cycles, and the model of buccal squamous cell carcinoma was established by using the dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) to smear the golden hamster buccal mucosa. Before the DMBA was used and after DMBA was used 6 weeks and 14 weeks respectively, the golden hamsters were sacrificed at 6 different time points (5 rats per time point) within 24 hour, including 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 hour after lights onset (HALO), and the normal buccal mucosa, precancerous lesions and cancer tissue were obtained, respectively. HE stained sections were prepared to observe the canceration of each tissue. Real time RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of Per1, p53, CyclinD1, CDK1 and CyclinB1, and a cosine analysis method was applied to determine the circadian rhythm variation of Per1, p53, CyclinD1, CDK1 and CyclinB1 mRNA expression, which were characterized by median, amplitude and acrophase. The expression of Per1, p53, CDK1 and CyclinD1 mRNA in 6 different time points within 24 hours in the tissues of three different stages of carcinogenesis had circadian rhythm, respectively. However, the CyclinB1 mRNA was expressed with circadian rhythm just in normal and cancer tissue (P circadian rhythm was in disorder (P > 0.05). As the development of carcinoma, the median of Per1 and p53 mRNA expression were significantly decreased (P circadian rhythm of clock gene Per1 and cell cycle genes p53, CyclinD1, CDK1, CyclinB1 expression remarkably varied with the occurrence and development of carcinoma. Further research into the interaction between circadian and cell cycle of two cycle activity and relationship with the carcinogenesis may

  13. Carbon footprint of forest and tree utilization technologies in life cycle approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polgár, András; Pécsinger, Judit

    2017-04-01

    In our research project a suitable method has been developed related the technological aspect of the environmental assessment of land use changes caused by climate change. We have prepared an eco-balance (environmental inventory) to the environmental effects classification in life-cycle approach in connection with the typical agricultural / forest and tree utilization technologies. The use of balances and environmental classification makes possible to compare land-use technologies and their environmental effects per common functional unit. In order to test our environmental analysis model, we carried out surveys in sample of forest stands. We set up an eco-balance of the working systems of intermediate cutting and final harvest in the stands of beech, oak, spruce, acacia, poplar and short rotation energy plantations (willow, poplar). We set up the life-cycle plan of the surveyed working systems by using the GaBi 6.0 Professional software and carried out midpoint and endpoint impact assessment. Out of the results, we applied the values of CML 2001 - Global Warming Potential (GWP 100 years) [kg CO2-Equiv.] and Eco-Indicator 99 - Human health, Climate Change [DALY]. On the basis of the values we set up a ranking of technology. By this, we received the environmental impact classification of the technologies based on carbon footprint. The working systems had the greatest impact on global warming (GWP 100 years) throughout their whole life cycle. This is explained by the amount of carbon dioxide releasing to the atmosphere resulting from the fuel of the technologies. Abiotic depletion (ADP foss) and marine aquatic ecotoxicity (MAETP) emerged also as significant impact categories. These impact categories can be explained by the share of input of fuel and lube. On the basis of the most significant environmental impact category (carbon footprint), we perform the relative life cycle contribution and ranking of each technologies. The technological life cycle stages examined

  14. INNOVATION DIFFUSION THEORY MAIN DEVELOPMENT STAGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. V. Lisafiev

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Main innovation diffusion development theory stages are: Rogers model of moving new products to the market including characteristics of its segments; mathematic substantiation of this model by Bass; Moor model taking into account gaps between adjacent market segments; Goldenberg model making it possible to predict sales drops at new product life cycle initial stages. It is reasonable to use this theory while moving innovative products to the market.

  15. Corporate entrepreneurship in organisational life-cycle

    OpenAIRE

    Duobienė, Jurga

    2013-01-01

    Paper deals with the development of corporate entrepreneurship in different stages of organisational life-cycle. The research presents a model for the evaluation of corporate entrepreneurship and systemises relevant theoretical and empirical research in the field of entrepreneurship and corporate entrepreneurship. Moreover, it describes the development of corporate entrepreneurship in the entire organisational life-cycle since most of researchers who discuss the topics of corporate entreprene...

  16. An Atlas for Schistosoma mansoni Organs and Life-Cycle Stages Using Cell Type-Specific Markers and Confocal Microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cogswell, Alexis; Williams, David L.; Newmark, Phillip A.

    2011-01-01

    Schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is a tropical disease caused by trematode parasites (Schistosoma) that affects hundreds of millions of people in the developing world. Currently only a single drug (praziquantel) is available to treat this disease, highlighting the importance of developing new techniques to study Schistosoma. While molecular advances, including RNA interference and the availability of complete genome sequences for two Schistosoma species, will help to revolutionize studies of these animals, an array of tools for visualizing the consequences of experimental perturbations on tissue integrity and development needs to be made widely available. To this end, we screened a battery of commercially available stains, antibodies and fluorescently labeled lectins, many of which have not been described previously for analyzing schistosomes, for their ability to label various cell and tissue types in the cercarial stage of S. mansoni. This analysis uncovered more than 20 new markers that label most cercarial tissues, including the tegument, the musculature, the protonephridia, the secretory system and the nervous system. Using these markers we present a high-resolution visual depiction of cercarial anatomy. Examining the effectiveness of a subset of these markers in S. mansoni adults and miracidia, we demonstrate the value of these tools for labeling tissues in a variety of life-cycle stages. The methodologies described here will facilitate functional analyses aimed at understanding fundamental biological processes in these parasites. PMID:21408085

  17. Study on closed cycle MHD generation systems; Closed cycle MHD hatsuden system no kento

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1988-03-01

    The closed cycle noble gas MHD generation systems are surveyed and studied. The concept of closed cycle noble gas MHD generation is confirmed to extract high enthalpy, and now going into the engineering demonstration stage from the basic research stage. These systems have various characteristics. The highest working temperature is around 1,700 degrees C, which is close to that associated with the existing techniques. Use of helium or argon gas as the working fluid makes the system relatively free of various problems, e.g., corrosion. It can attain a much higher efficiency than the combined cycle involving gas turbine. It suffers less heat loss in the passages, is suitable for small- to medium-capacity power generation systems, and copes with varying load. The compact power generation passages decrease required size of the superconducting magnet. The technical problems to be solved include optimization of power generation conditions, demonstration of durability of the power generation passages, injection/recovery of the seed material, treatment of the working gas to remove molecular impurities, and development of heat exchangers serviceable at high temperature produced by direct combustion of coal. The conceptual designs of the triple combined system are completed. (NEDO)

  18. Life Cycle Characteristics of Small Professional Service Firms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Masurel, E.; van Montfort, C.A.G.M.

    2006-01-01

    Our study of professional services firms clearly revealed that firms change over the course of their life cycles. During the first three stages, diversification in sales, the differentiation in labor force, and the level of labor productivity increase. In the last stage, diversification in sales,

  19. Sleep-waking cycle in the cerveau isolé cat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slósarska, M; Zernicki, B

    1973-06-01

    The experiments were performed on ten chronic low cerveau isolé cats: in eight cats the brain stem transection was prepontine and in two cats, intercollicular. The preparations survived from 24 to 3 days. During 24-36 hr sessions the ECoG activity was continuously recorded, and the ocular and ECoG components of the orienting reflexes to visual and olfactory stimuli were studied. 2. Three periods can be recognized in the recovery process of the low cerveau isolé cat. They are called acute, early chronic and late chronic stages. The acute stage lasts 1 day and the early chronic stage seems to last 3 weeks at least. During the acute stage the ability to desynchronize the EEG, either spontaneously or in response to sensory stimulations, is dramatically impaired and the pupils are fissurated. Thus the cat is comatous. 4. During the early chronic stage, although the ECoG synchronization-desynchronization cycle and the associated fissurated myosis-myosis cycle already exist, the episodes of ECoG desynchronization occupy only a small percentage of time and usually develop slowly. Visual and olfactory stimuli are often ineffective. Thus the cat is semicomatous. In the late chronic stage the sleep-waking cycle is present. The animal can be easily awakened by visual and olfactory stimuli. The intensity of the ECoG arousal to visual stimuli and the distribution of time between alert wakefulness, drowsiness, light synchronized sleep and deep synchronized sleep are similar to those in the chronic pretrigeminal cat. The recovery of the cerveau isolé seems to reach a steady level when the sleep-waking cycle becomes similar to that present in the chronic pretrigeminal cat. During the whole survival period the vertical following reflex is abortive.

  20. Design and analysis of helium Brayton power cycles for HiPER reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sánchez, Consuelo, E-mail: csanchez@ind.uned.es [Dpto. Ingeniería Energética UNED, Madrid (Spain); Juárez, Rafael; Sanz, Javier [Dpto. Ingeniería Energética UNED, Madrid (Spain); Instituto de Fusión Nuclear/UPM, Madrid (Spain); Perlado, Manuel [Instituto de Fusión Nuclear/UPM, Madrid (Spain)

    2013-10-15

    Highlights: ► A helium Brayton cycle has been designed integrating the two energy sources of HiPER. ► The Brayton cycle has intercooling stages and a recovery process. ► The low temperature of HiPER heat sources results in low cycle efficiency (35.2%). ► Two inter-cooling stages and a reheating process increases efficiency to over 37%. ► Helium Brayton cycles are to be considered as candidates for HiPER power cycles. -- Abstract: Helium Brayton cycles have been studied as power cycles for both fission and fusion reactors obtaining high thermal efficiency. This paper studies several technological schemes of helium Brayton cycles applied for the HiPER reactor proposal. Since HiPER integrates technologies available at short term, its working conditions results in a very low maximum temperature of the energy sources, something that limits the thermal performance of the cycle. The aim of this work is to analyze the potential of the helium Brayton cycles as power cycles for HiPER. Several helium Brayton cycle configurations have been investigated with the purpose of raising the cycle thermal efficiency under the working conditions of HiPER. The effects of inter-cooling and reheating have specifically been studied. Sensitivity analyses of the key cycle parameters and component performances on the maximum thermal efficiency have also been carried out. The addition of several inter-cooling stages in a helium Brayton cycle has allowed obtaining a maximum thermal efficiency of over 36%, and the inclusion of a reheating process may also yield an added increase of nearly 1 percentage point to reach 37%. These results confirm that helium Brayton cycles are to be considered among the power cycle candidates for HiPER.

  1. Design and analysis of helium Brayton power cycles for HiPER reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sánchez, Consuelo; Juárez, Rafael; Sanz, Javier; Perlado, Manuel

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► A helium Brayton cycle has been designed integrating the two energy sources of HiPER. ► The Brayton cycle has intercooling stages and a recovery process. ► The low temperature of HiPER heat sources results in low cycle efficiency (35.2%). ► Two inter-cooling stages and a reheating process increases efficiency to over 37%. ► Helium Brayton cycles are to be considered as candidates for HiPER power cycles. -- Abstract: Helium Brayton cycles have been studied as power cycles for both fission and fusion reactors obtaining high thermal efficiency. This paper studies several technological schemes of helium Brayton cycles applied for the HiPER reactor proposal. Since HiPER integrates technologies available at short term, its working conditions results in a very low maximum temperature of the energy sources, something that limits the thermal performance of the cycle. The aim of this work is to analyze the potential of the helium Brayton cycles as power cycles for HiPER. Several helium Brayton cycle configurations have been investigated with the purpose of raising the cycle thermal efficiency under the working conditions of HiPER. The effects of inter-cooling and reheating have specifically been studied. Sensitivity analyses of the key cycle parameters and component performances on the maximum thermal efficiency have also been carried out. The addition of several inter-cooling stages in a helium Brayton cycle has allowed obtaining a maximum thermal efficiency of over 36%, and the inclusion of a reheating process may also yield an added increase of nearly 1 percentage point to reach 37%. These results confirm that helium Brayton cycles are to be considered among the power cycle candidates for HiPER

  2. [Analysis of clinical outcomes of different embryo stage biopsy in array comparative genomic hybridization based preimplantation genetic diagnosis and screening].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, J D; Wu, W; Shu, L; Cai, L L; Xie, J Z; Ma, L; Sun, X P; Cui, Y G; Liu, J Y

    2017-12-25

    Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of the application of array comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH) in preimplantation genetic diagnosis or screening (PGD/PGS), and compare the clinical outcomes of different stage embryo biopsy. Methods: The outcomes of 381 PGD/PGS cycles referred in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from July 2011 to August 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 320 PGD cycles with 156 cleavage-stage-biopsy cycles and 164 trophectoderm-biopsy cycles, 61 PGS cycles with 23 cleavage-stage-biopsy cycles and 38 trophectoderm-biopsy cycles. Chromosomal analysis was performed by array-CGH technology combined with whole genome amplification. Single embryo transfer was performed in all transfer cycles. Live birth rate was calculated as the main clinical outcomes. Results: The embryo diagnosis rate of PGD/PGS by array-CGH were 96.9%-99.1%. In PGD biopsy cycles, the live birth rate per embryo transfer cycle and live birth rate per embryo biopsy cycle were 50.0%(58/116) and 37.2%(58/156) in cleavage-stage-biopsy group, 67.5%(85/126) and 51.8%(85/164) in trophectoderm-biopsy group (both P 0.05). Conclusions: High diagnosis rate and idea live birth rate are achieved in PGD/PGS cycles based on array-CGH technology. The live birth rate of trophectoderm-biopsy group is significantly higher than that of cleavage-stage-biopsy group in PGD cycles; the efficiency of trophectoderm-biopsy is better.

  3. Alteration of cell cycle progression by Sindbis virus infection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yi, Ruirong; Saito, Kengo [Department of Molecular Virology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670 (Japan); Isegawa, Naohisa [Laboratory Animal Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670 (Japan); Shirasawa, Hiroshi, E-mail: sirasawa@faculty.chiba-u.jp [Department of Molecular Virology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670 (Japan)

    2015-07-10

    We examined the impact of Sindbis virus (SINV) infection on cell cycle progression in a cancer cell line, HeLa, and a non-cancerous cell line, Vero. Cell cycle analyses showed that SINV infection is able to alter the cell cycle progression in both HeLa and Vero cells, but differently, especially during the early stage of infection. SINV infection affected the expression of several cell cycle regulators (CDK4, CDK6, cyclin E, p21, cyclin A and cyclin B) in HeLa cells and caused HeLa cells to accumulate in S phase during the early stage of infection. Monitoring SINV replication in HeLa and Vero cells expressing cell cycle indicators revealed that SINV which infected HeLa cells during G{sub 1} phase preferred to proliferate during S/G{sub 2} phase, and the average time interval for viral replication was significantly shorter in both HeLa and Vero cells infected during G{sub 1} phase than in cells infected during S/G{sub 2} phase. - Highlights: • SINV infection was able to alter the cell cycle progression of infected cancer cells. • SINV infection can affect the expression of cell cycle regulators. • SINV infection exhibited a preference for the timing of viral replication among the cell cycle phases.

  4. Alteration of cell cycle progression by Sindbis virus infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yi, Ruirong; Saito, Kengo; Isegawa, Naohisa; Shirasawa, Hiroshi

    2015-01-01

    We examined the impact of Sindbis virus (SINV) infection on cell cycle progression in a cancer cell line, HeLa, and a non-cancerous cell line, Vero. Cell cycle analyses showed that SINV infection is able to alter the cell cycle progression in both HeLa and Vero cells, but differently, especially during the early stage of infection. SINV infection affected the expression of several cell cycle regulators (CDK4, CDK6, cyclin E, p21, cyclin A and cyclin B) in HeLa cells and caused HeLa cells to accumulate in S phase during the early stage of infection. Monitoring SINV replication in HeLa and Vero cells expressing cell cycle indicators revealed that SINV which infected HeLa cells during G 1 phase preferred to proliferate during S/G 2 phase, and the average time interval for viral replication was significantly shorter in both HeLa and Vero cells infected during G 1 phase than in cells infected during S/G 2 phase. - Highlights: • SINV infection was able to alter the cell cycle progression of infected cancer cells. • SINV infection can affect the expression of cell cycle regulators. • SINV infection exhibited a preference for the timing of viral replication among the cell cycle phases

  5. Alternative Approaches to the Family Life Cycle in the Analysis of Housing Consumption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLeod, P. B.; Ellis, J. R.

    1983-01-01

    Used loan-approval data to analyze the effects of life-cycle stage on housing consumption. The detailed typologies were not generally superior to the more simplified approaches, except for per capita consumption. For per capita consumption, price, and quality, clear evidence is found for structural nonhomogeneity across life-cycle stages. (JAC)

  6. CHANGES IN MOTOR SKILLS OF CHILDREN WHO TRAIN SPORTS SWIMMING AT THE INITIAL STAGE OF SCHOOL EDUCATION (IN ANNUAL TRAINING CYCLE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul Eider

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: This is an empirical article aiming at defining the changes of motor fitness in children practicing swimming at early stage of training in year-long training cycle. Proper selection of candidates to practice certain sports is a very complex process. One needs to select from the very large population of children, girls and boys, characterized by certain features, including somatic and motor features, which developed in a longstanding process of training, will lead them to become champions. The purpose of the research: The purpose of the research was to define the changes of motor fitness in girls’ practicing swimming at early stage of training in year-long training cycle. Material and Methods: The subjects to the research were 85 girls aged 7 (1st year of primary school, including 36 girls in swimming group and 49 girls in control group. 36 of them belonged to swimmers’ group- all girls were members of the Municipal Swimming Club in Szczecin. Control group consisted of 49 girls, who attended the same elementary schools. The examinations were carried out twice in the 2009-2010 academic year. The most reliable and accurate indirect test- EUROFIT Test Battery-was used. Results : The research revealed changes in both groups (Sw, C in terms of all eight tests. Examination II proved statistically significant improvement of results in both groups (Sw, C in comparison to Examination I. The dynamics of changes in general balance, flexibility, static force, functional force, running agility, was bigger in the girls who practiced swimming. As the speed of movement of upper limb, explosive force and thorax force are concerned; the differences of results in both examinations were similar in both groups (swimming group and control group. Progressive changes in motor fitness of the examined groups are a positive phenomenon in the development of child’s young organism. Conclusions: Swimming training significantly affected the dynamics of

  7. Chromatin association of UHRF1 during the cell cycle

    KAUST Repository

    Al-Gashgari, Bothayna

    2017-05-01

    Ubiquitin-like with PHD and RING Finger domains 1 (UHRF1) is a nuclear protein that associates with chromatin. Regardless of the various functions of UHRF1 in the cell, one of its more important functions is its role in the maintenance of DNA methylation patterns by the recruitment of DNMT1. Studies on UHRF1 based on this function have revealed the importance of UHRF1 during the cell cycle. Moreover, based on different studies various factors were described to be involved in the regulation of UHRF1 with different functionalities that can control its binding affinity to different targets on chromatin. These factors are regulated differently in a cell cycle specific manner. In light of this, we propose that UHRF1 has different binding behaviors during the cell cycle in regard to its association with chromatin. In this project, we first analyzed the binding behavior of endogenous UHRF1 from different unsynchronized cell systems in pull-down assays with peptides and oligonucleotides. Moreover, to analyze UHRF1 binding behavior during the cell cycle, we used two different approaches. First we sorted Jurkat and HT1080 cells based on their cell cycle stage using FACS analysis. Additionally, we synchronized HeLa cells to different stages of the cell cycle by chemical treatments, and used extracts from cellsorting and cell synchronization experiments for pull-down assays. We observed that UHRF1 in different cell systems has different preferences in regard to its binding to H3 unmodified and H3K9me3. Moreover, we detected that UHRF1, in general, displays different patterns between different stages of cell cycle; however, we cannot draw a final model for UHRF1 binding pattern during cell cycle.

  8. Nonproliferation characteristics of advanced fuel cycle concepts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Persiani, P.J.

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to comment on the proliferation characteristic profiles of some of the proposed fuel cycle alternatives to help ensure that nonproliferation concerns are introduced into the early stages of a fuel cycle concept development program, and to perhaps aid in the more effective implementation of the international nonproliferation regime initiatives and safeguards methods and systems. Alternative cycle concepts proposed by several countries involve the recycle of spent fuel without the separation of plutonium from uranium and fission products

  9. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Introductory Concepts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karpius, Peter Joseph [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

    2017-02-02

    The nuclear fuel cycle is a complex entity, with many stages and possibilities, encompassing natural resources, energy, science, commerce, and security, involving a host of nations around the world. This overview describes the process for generating nuclear power using fissionable nuclei.

  10. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Introductory Concepts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karpius, Peter Joseph

    2017-01-01

    The nuclear fuel cycle is a complex entity, with many stages and possibilities, encompassing natural resources, energy, science, commerce, and security, involving a host of nations around the world. This overview describes the process for generating nuclear power using fissionable nuclei.

  11. Parametric studies on different gas turbine cycles for a high temperature gas-cooled reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jie; Gu Yihua

    2005-01-01

    The high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) coupled with turbine cycle is considered as one of the leading candidates for future nuclear power plants. In this paper, the various types of HTGR gas turbine cycles are concluded as three typical cycles of direct cycle, closed indirect cycle and open indirect cycle. Furthermore they are theoretically converted to three Brayton cycles of helium, nitrogen and air. Those three types of Brayton cycles are thermodynamically analyzed and optimized. The results show that the variety of gas affects the cycle pressure ratio more significantly than other cycle parameters, however, the optimized cycle efficiencies of the three Brayton cycles are almost the same. In addition, the turbomachines which are required for the three optimized Brayton cycles are aerodynamically analyzed and compared and their fundamental characteristics are obtained. Helium turbocompressor has lower stage pressure ratio and more stage number than those for nitrogen and air machines, while helium and nitrogen turbocompressors have shorter blade length than that for air machine

  12. Uranium Determination in Samples from Decommissioning of Nuclear facilities Related to the First Stage of Nuclear Fuel Cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez, A.; Correa, E.; Navarro, N.; Sancho, C.; Angeles, A.

    2000-01-01

    An adequate workplace monitoring must be carried out during the decommissioning activities, to ensure the protection of workers involved in these tasks. In addition, a large amount of waste materials are generated during the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Clearance levels are established by regulatory authorities and are normally quite low. The determination of those activity concentration levels become more difficult when it is necessary to quantify alpha emitters such as uranium, especially when complex matrices are involved. Several methods for uranium determination in samples obtained during the decommissioning of a facility related to the first stage of the nuclear fuel cycle are presented in this work. Measurements were carried out by laboratory techniques. In situ gamma spectrometry was also used to perform measurements on site. A comparison among the different techniques was also done by analysing the results obtained in some practical applications. (Author)

  13. Hunting billbug (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) life cycle and damaging life stage in North Carolina, with notes on other billbug species abundance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doskocil, J P; Brandenburg, R L

    2012-12-01

    In the southeastern United States, hunting billbug, Sphenophorus venatus vestitus Chittenden, adults are often observed in turfgrass, but our knowledge of their biology and ecology is limited. Field surveys and experiments were conducted to determine the species composition, life cycle, damaging life stage, and distribution of billbugs within the soil profile in turfgrass in North Carolina. Linear pitfall trapping revealed six species of billbug, with the hunting billbug making up 99.7% of all beetles collected. Data collected from turf plus soil sampling suggest that hunting billbugs have two overlapping generations per year in North Carolina and that they overwinter as both adults and larvae. Field experiments provided evidence that adult hunting billbugs are capable of damaging warm season turfgrasses.

  14. Performance evaluation of an ejector subcooled vapor-compression refrigeration cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xing, Meibo; Yan, Gang; Yu, Jianlin

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • An ejector subcooled vapor-compression refrigeration cycle is proposed. • The performance of the cycle with ejector subcooling is evaluated theoretically. • Increase in refrigeration capacity can be achieved by the ejector subcooled cycle. • The new cycle exhibits higher COP compared to the basic single-stage cycle. • Performance of the new cycle depends on the operation pressures of the ejector. - Abstract: In this study, a novel vapor-compression refrigeration cycle with mechanical subcooling using an ejector is proposed to improve the performance of a conventional single-stage vapor-compression refrigeration cycle. In the theoretical study, a mathematical model is developed to predict the performance of the cycle by using R404A and R290, and then compared with that of the conventional refrigeration cycle. The simulation results show that the performance of the ejector subcooled cycle is better than that of the conventional cycle. When the evaporator temperature ranges from −40 to −10 °C and the condenser temperature is 45 °C, the novel cycle displays volumetric refrigeration capacity improvements of 11.7% with R404A and 7.2% with R290. And the novel cycle achieves COP improvements of 9.5% with R404A and 7.0% with R290. In addition, the improvement of the COP and cooling capacity of this novel cycle largely depends on the operation pressures of the ejector. The potential practical advantages offered by the cycle may be worth further attention in future studies

  15. A transgenic Plasmodium falciparum NF54 strain that expresses GFP-luciferase throughout the parasite life cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaughan, Ashley M; Mikolajczak, Sebastian A; Camargo, Nelly; Lakshmanan, Viswanathan; Kennedy, Mark; Lindner, Scott E; Miller, Jessica L; Hume, Jen C C; Kappe, Stefan H I

    2012-12-01

    Plasmodium falciparum is the pathogenic agent of the most lethal of human malarias. Transgenic P. falciparum parasites expressing luciferase have been created to study drug interventions of both asexual and sexual blood stages but luciferase-expressing mosquito stage and liver stage parasites have not been created which has prevented the easy quantification of mosquito stage development (e.g. for transmission blocking interventions) and liver stage development (for interventions that prevent infection). To overcome this obstacle, we have created a transgenic P. falciparum NF54 parasite that expresses a GFP-luciferase transgene throughout the life cycle. Luciferase expression is robust and measurable at all life cycle stages, including midgut oocyst, salivary gland sporozoites and liver stages, where in vivo development is easily measurable using humanized mouse infections in conjunction with an in vivo imaging system. This parasite reporter strain will accelerate testing of interventions against pre-erythrocytic life cycle stages. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. HIV LIFE CYCLE AND POTENTIAl TARGETS FOR DRUG ACTIVITY

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    TABLE Ill. STAGES IN THE HIV UFE CYCLE THAT ARE TARGETS FOR CURRENTLY AVAIlABLE ANTIRETROVIRAlS. Fig. 7. Life cycle ofHIVand targets for ontiretrovirol theropy. (Reproduced with permission from: 5Miller, The Clinician's Guide to. Antiretroviral Resistance, 2007.) JULY 2002. Budding: immature virus.

  17. Functional interrogation of Plasmodium genus metabolism identifies species- and stage-specific differences in nutrient essentiality and drug targeting.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alyaa M Abdel-Haleem

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Several antimalarial drugs exist, but differences between life cycle stages among malaria species pose challenges for developing more effective therapies. To understand the diversity among stages and species, we reconstructed genome-scale metabolic models (GeMMs of metabolism for five life cycle stages and five species of Plasmodium spanning the blood, transmission, and mosquito stages. The stage-specific models of Plasmodium falciparum uncovered stage-dependent changes in central carbon metabolism and predicted potential targets that could affect several life cycle stages. The species-specific models further highlight differences between experimental animal models and the human-infecting species. Comparisons between human- and rodent-infecting species revealed differences in thiamine (vitamin B1, choline, and pantothenate (vitamin B5 metabolism. Thus, we show that genome-scale analysis of multiple stages and species of Plasmodium can prioritize potential drug targets that could be both anti-malarials and transmission blocking agents, in addition to guiding translation from non-human experimental disease models.

  18. Functional interrogation of Plasmodium genus metabolism identifies species- and stage-specific differences in nutrient essentiality and drug targeting

    KAUST Repository

    Abdel-Haleem, Alyaa M.

    2018-01-04

    Several antimalarial drugs exist, but differences between life cycle stages among malaria species pose challenges for developing more effective therapies. To understand the diversity among stages and species, we reconstructed genome-scale models (GEMs) of metabolism for five life cycle stages and five species of Plasmodium spanning the blood, transmission, and mosquito stages. The stage-specific models of Plasmodium falciparum uncovered stage-dependent changes in central carbon metabolism and predicted potential targets that could affect several life cycle stages. The species-specific models further highlight differences between experimental animal models and the human-infecting species. Comparisons between human- and rodent-infecting species revealed differences in thiamine (vitamin B1), choline, and pantothenate (vitamin B5) metabolism. Thus, we show that genome-scale analysis of multiple stages and species of Plasmodium can prioritize potential drug targets that could be both anti-malarials and transmission blocking agents, in addition to guiding translation from non-human experimental disease models.

  19. Changes in urinary amino acids excretion in relationship with muscle activity markers over a professional cycling stage race: in search of fatigue markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corsetti, Roberto; Barassi, Alessandra; Perego, Silvia; Sansoni, Veronica; Rossi, Alessandra; Damele, Clara Anna Linda; Melzi D'Eril, Gianlodovico; Banfi, Giuseppe; Lombardi, Giovanni

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between metabolic effort, muscular damage/activity indices, and urinary amino acids profile over the course of a strenuous prolonged endurance activity, as a cycling stage race is, in order to identify possible fatigue markers. Nine professional cyclists belonging to a single team, competing in the Giro d'Italia cycling stage race, were anthropometrically characterized and sampled for blood and urine the day before the race started, and on days 12 and 23 of the race. Diet was kept the same over the race, and power output and energy expenditure were recorded. Sera were assayed for muscle markers (lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and creatine kinase activities, and blood urea nitrogen), and creatinine, all corrected for plasma volume changes. Urines were profiled for amino acid concentrations, normalized on creatinine excretion. Renal function, in terms of glomerular filtration rate, was monitored by MDRD equation corrected on body surface area. Creatine kinase activity and blood urea were increased during the race as did serum creatinine while kidney function remained stable. Among the amino acids, taurine, glycine, cysteine, leucine, carnosine, 1-methyl histidine, and 3-methyl histidine showed a net decreased, while homocysteine was increased. Taurine and the dipeptide carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) were significantly correlated with the muscle activity markers and the indices of effort. In conclusion, the metabolic profile is modified strikingly due to the effort. Urinary taurine and carnosine seem useful tools to evaluate the muscle damage and possibly the fatigue status on a long-term basis.

  20. Mitotic effects of monochromatic ultraviolet radiation at 225, 265, and 280 nm on eleven stages of the cell cycle of the grasshopper neuroblast in culture. I. Overall retardation from the stage irradiated to nuclear membrane breakdown

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, J.G.

    1976-01-01

    Neuroblasts of Chortophaga viridifasciata (DeGeer) in culture were exposed to different doses of 225, 265, or 280 nm ultraviolet radiations at 11 different stages and substages of the mitotic cycle and individually selected cells were timed to breakdown of the nuclear membrane. Comparisons of the effectiveness of different wavelengths on the different stages were based on the dose that reduced the cell progression rate to 67 percent of normal (D 67 ) and the slope of the regression line, i.e., the control to treated time (C/T) ratio change/erg/mm 2 at the D 67 level. Cells of the prereplication period (metaphase + anaphase + early telophase) and the S phase (middle and late telophase + interphase + very early prophase) are equally sensitive to uv and contrast sharply with the much lower sensitivity of those in the postreplication period (early and middle prophase). This can best be interpreted if chromosomal DNA is the chromophore for uv-induced mitotic retardation. Cells in the prereplication period at exposure show no wavelength effect. In the S phase all stages except middle telophase and all stages combined are significantly more sensitive to 265 and 280 nm than to 225 nm. Of the postreplication stages, early prophase is retarded significantly more by 280 than by 225 or 265 nm. The C/T ratio/erg/mm 2 is greater after exposure to 265 nm at all prereplication and replication stages, but exhibits no consistent wavelength pattern during the postreplication period. Evidence based on the orientation of the neuroblast with respect to the uv-source suggests that the chromophore for mitotic retardation does not reside within the centrosome and related structures, but may be present, at least partly, in the nucleolus

  1. A multi-stage malaria vaccine candidate targeting both transmission and asexual parasite life-cycle stages

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Theisen, Michael; Roeffen, Will; Singh, Susheel K

    2014-01-01

    that combine antigens from both stages may provide direct protection and indirect benefit by reducing the force of infection. We constructed a chimeric antigen composed of a fragment of the Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) glutamate-rich protein fused in frame to a correctly folded fragment of Pfs48/45. The chimera...... dependent cellular inhibition assay. The combined data provide a strong rationale for entering the next phase of clinical grade production and testing....

  2. Flexibility of ADS for minor actinides transmutation in different two-stage PWR-ADS fuel cycle scenarios

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Shengcheng; Wu, Hongchun; Zheng, Youqi

    2018-01-01

    Highlights: •ADS reloading scheme is optimized to raise discharge burnup and lower reactivity loss. •ADS is flexible to be combined with various pyro-chemical reprocessing technologies. •ADS is flexible to transmute MAs from different spent PWR fuels. -- Abstract: A two-stage Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR)-Accelerator Driven System (ADS) fuel cycle is proposed as an option to transmute minor actinides (MAs) recovered from the spent PWR fuels in the ADS system. At the second stage, the spent fuels discharged from ADS are reprocessed by the pyro-chemical process and the recovered actinides are mixed with the top-up MAs recovered from the spent PWR fuels to fabricate the new fuels used in ADS. In order to lower the amount of nuclear wastes sent to the geological repository, an optimized scattered reloading scheme for ADS is proposed to maximize the discharge burnup and lower the burnup reactivity loss. Then the flexibility of ADS for MA transmutation is evaluated in this research. Three aspects are discussed, including: different cooling time of spent ADS fuels before reprocessing, different reprocessing loss of spent ADS fuels, and different top-up MAs recovered from different kinds of spent PWR fuels. The ADS system is flexible to be combined with various pyro-chemical reprocessing technologies with specific spent fuels cooling time and unique reprocessing loss. The reduction magnitudes of the long-term decay heat and radiotoxicity of MAs by transmutation depend on the reprocessing loss. The ADS system is flexible to transmute MAs recovered from different kinds of spent PWR fuels, regardless of UOX or MOX fuels. The reduction magnitudes of the long-term decay heat and radiotoxicity of different MAs by transmutation stay on the same order.

  3. Dual stage active magnetic regenerator and method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pecharsky, Vitalij K.; Gschneidner, Jr., Karl A.

    1999-03-30

    A dual stage active magnetic regenerator refrigerator as well as method using the Joule-Brayton thermodynamic cycle includes a high temperature stage refrigerant comprising DyAl.sub.2 or (Dy.sub.1-x Er.sub.x)Al.sub.2 where x is selected to be greater than 0 and less than about 0.3 in combination with a low temperature stage comprising (Dy.sub.1-x Er.sub.x)Al.sub.2 where x is selected to be greater than about 0.5 and less than 1 to provide significantly improved refrigeration efficiency in the liquefaction of gaseous hydrogen.

  4. A Multi-Stage Maturity Model for Long-Term IT Outsourcing Relationship Success

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luong, Ming; Stevens, Jeff

    2015-01-01

    The Multi-Stage Maturity Model for Long-Term IT Outsourcing Relationship Success, a theoretical stages-of-growth model, explains long-term success in IT outsourcing relationships. Research showed the IT outsourcing relationship life cycle consists of four distinct, sequential stages: contract, transition, support, and partnership. The model was…

  5. Simulation and Assessment of Whole Life-Cycle Carbon Emission Flows from Different Residential Structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rikun Wen

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available To explore the differences in carbon emissions over the whole life-cycle of different building structures, the published calculated carbon emissions from residential buildings in China and abroad were normalized. Embodied carbon emission flows, operations stage carbon emission flows, demolition and reclamation stage carbon emission flows and total life-cycle carbon emission flows from concrete, steel, and wood structures were obtained. This study is based on the theory of the social cost of carbon, with an adequately demonstrated social cost of carbon and social discount rate. Taking into consideration both static and dynamic situations and using a social discount rate of 3.5%, the total life-cycle carbon emission flows, absolute carbon emission and building carbon costs were calculated and assessed. The results indicated that concrete structures had the highest embodied carbon emission flows and negative carbon emission flows in the waste and reclamation stage. Wood structures that started the life-cycle with stored carbon had the lowest carbon emission flows in the operations stage and relatively high negative carbon emission flows in the reclamation stage. Wood structures present the smallest carbon footprints for residential buildings.

  6. Structural-Phase Transformations of CuZn Alloy Under Thermal-Impact Cycling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potekaev, A. I.; Chaplygina, A. A.; Kulagina, V. V.; Chaplygin, P. A.; Starostenkov, M. D.; Grinkevich, L. S.

    2017-02-01

    Using the Monte Carlo method, special features of structural - phase transformations in β-brass are investigated during thermal impact using thermal cycling as an example (a number of successive order - disorder and disorder - order phase transitions in the course of several heating - cooling cycles). It is shown that a unique hysteresis is observed after every heating and cooling cycle, whose presence indicates irreversibility of the processes, which suggests a difference in the structural - phase states both in the heating and cooling stages. A conclusion is drawn that the structural - phase transformations in the heating and cooling stages occur within different temperature intervals, where the thermodynamic stimuli of one or the other structural - phase state are low. This is also demonstrated both in the plots of configurational energy, long- and short-range order parameter, atomic structure variations, and structural - phase state distributions. Simultaneously, there coexist ordered and disordered phases and a certain collection of superstructure domains. This implies the presence of low - stability states in the vicinity of the order - disorder phase transition. The results of investigations demonstrate that the structural - phase transitions within two successive heating and cooling cycles at the same temperature are different in both stages. These changes, though not revolutionary, occur in every cycle and decrease with the increasing cycle number. In fact, the system undergoes training with a tendency towards a certain sequence of structural - phase states.

  7. Thermomechanical and hygroelastic properties of an epoxy system under humid and cold-warm cycling conditions

    KAUST Repository

    El Yagoubi, Jalal; Lubineau, Gilles; Saghir, Shahid; Verdu, Jacques; Askari, Abe H.

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we study the hygrothermal aging of an anhydride-cured epoxy under temperature and hygrometry conditions simulating those experienced by an aircraft in wet tropical or subtropical regions. Gravimetric and dimensional measurements were performed and they indicate that there are three stages in this aging process: the first one, corresponding to the early cycles can be called the "induction stage". The second stage of about 1000 cycles duration, could be named the "swelling stage", during which the volume increase is almost equal to the volume of the (liquid) water absorbed. Both the first and second stages are accompanied by modifications of the mechanical properties and the glass transition temperature. During the third ("equilibrium") stage, up to 3000 cycles, there is no significant change in the physical properties despite the continuous increase of water uptake. This can be explained by the fact that only physically sorbed water can influence physical properties. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Development of a Hepatitis B Virus Reporter System to Monitor the Early Stages of the Replication Cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishitsuji, Hironori; Yamamoto, Hiromi; Shiina, Ritsuko; Harada, Keisuke; Ujino, Saneyuki; Shimotohno, Kunitada

    2017-02-01

    Currently, it is possible to construct recombinant forms of various viruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), that carry foreign genes such as a reporter or marker protein in their genomes. These recombinant viruses usually faithfully mimic the life cycle of the original virus in infected cells and exhibit the same host range dependence. The development of a recombinant virus enables the efficient screening of inhibitors and the identification of specific host factors. However, to date the construction of recombinant hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been difficult because of various experimental limitations. The main limitation is the compact genome size of HBV, and a fairly strict genome size that does not exceed 1.3 genome sizes, that must be packaged into virions. Thus, the size of a foreign gene to be inserted should be smaller than 0.4 kb if no deletion of the genome DNA is to be performed. Therefore, to overcome this size limitation, the deletion of some HBV DNA is required. Here, we report the construction of recombinant HBV encoding a reporter gene to monitor the early stage of the HBV replication cycle by replacing part of the HBV core-coding region with the reporter gene by deleting part of the HBV pol coding region. Detection of recombinant HBV infection, monitored by the reporter activity, was highly sensitive and less expensive than detection using the currently available conventional methods to evaluate HBV infection. This system will be useful for a number of applications including high-throughput screening for the identification of anti-HBV inhibitors, host factors and virus-susceptible cells.

  9. Induction of Phase Variation Events in the Life Cycle of the Marine Coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laguna, Richard; Romo, Jesus; Read, Betsy A.; Wahlund, Thomas M.

    2001-01-01

    Emiliania huxleyi is a unicellular marine alga that is considered to be the world's major producer of calcite. The life cycle of this alga is complex and is distinguished by its ability to synthesize exquisitely sculptured calcium carbonate cell coverings known as coccoliths. These structures have been targeted by materials scientists for applications relating to the chemistry of biomedical materials, robust membranes for high-temperature separation technology, lightweight ceramics, and semiconductor design. To date, however, the molecular and biochemical events controlling coccolith production have not been determined. In addition, little is known about the life cycle of E. huxleyi and the environmental and physiological signals triggering phase switching between the diploid and haploid life cycle stages. We have developed laboratory methods for inducing phase variation between the haploid (S-cell) and diploid (C-cell) life cycle stages of E. huxleyi. Plating E. huxleyi C cells on solid media was shown to induce phase switching from the C-cell to the S-cell life cycle stage, the latter of which has been maintained for over 2 years under these conditions. Pure cultures of S cells were obtained for the first time. Laboratory conditions for inducing phase switching from the haploid stage to the diploid stage were also established. Regeneration of the C-cell stage from pure cultures of S cells followed a predictable pattern involving formation of large aggregations of S cells and the subsequent production of cultures consisting predominantly of diploid C cells. These results demonstrate the ability to manipulate the life cycle of E. huxleyi under controlled laboratory conditions, providing us with powerful tools for the development of genetic techniques for analysis of coccolithogenesis and for investigating the complex life cycle of this important marine alga. PMID:11525973

  10. Serum malondialdehyde levels during menstral cycle

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    hour overnight fasting during the three phases of their menstrual cycle. ... dysmenorrhea at some stage of their life usually between .... malaria. Afr. J. Biotechnol. 3(10): 560-563. Eser Killic, Suleyman Yazar, Recep Saraymen, Hatice Ozbilge ...

  11. Improvement of the training process of qualified female athletes engaged in bodybuilding in the general preparatory stage of the preparatory period, taking into account the biological cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viacheslav Mulyk

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: substantiation of the methodology of the training process of qualified female athletes engaged in bodybuilding in the general preparatory stage of the preparatory period, taking into account the biological cycle. Material & Methods: in the study participated 18 qualified female athletes engaged in bodybuilding, included in the Kharkov region team of bodybuilding. Results: comparative characteristic of the most frequently used methodology of the training process in bodybuilding are shows. An optimal methodology for qualified female athletes engaged in bodybuilding has been developed and justified, depending on the initial form of the athlete at the beginning of the general preparatory stage of the training. The dependence of the change in the body weight of female athletes from the training process is shows. Conclusion: on the basis of the study, the author suggests an optimal training methodology depending on the mesocycle of training in the preparatory period in the general preparatory stage.

  12. [CHROMATIN ORGANIZATION IN CELL CYCLE OF AMOEBA PROTEUS ACCORDING TO OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHY DATA].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demin, S Yu; Berdieva, M A; Podlipaeva, Yu I; Yudin, A L; Goodkov, A V

    2015-01-01

    For the first time the nuclear cycle of large freshwater amoeba Amoeba proteus was studied by the method of optical tomography. The nuclei were fixed in situ in the cells of synchronized culture, stained by DAPI and examined by confocal laser scanning microscope. 3D-images of intranuclear chromatin were studied in details at different stages of nuclear cycle. The obtained data, together with literary ones allow represent the dynamics of structural organization of the nucleus in Amoeba proteus cell cycle in a new fashion. It was concluded that in this species the two-stage interphase takes place, as well as mitosis of peculiar type which does not correspond to any known type of mitosis according to classification existing now. It is presumed that in the course of nuclear cycle the chromosomes and/or their fragments are amplified, this presumption being in a good correspondence with the data about nuclear DNA hyperreplication in the cell cycle of A. proteus. As a result of chromosomes amplification their number may vary at different stages of cell cycle, and it allows to explain the contradictory data concerning the exact number of chromosomes in this species. The elimination of extra-DNA occurs mainly at the stage between prophase and prometaphase. We presume the majority of chromosomes, or may be even all of them to be referred to cholocentric type according to their behaviour during the mitosis.

  13. Interconnection of the Degree of Risk and Life Cycle of the “Green Construction” Investment Projects

    OpenAIRE

    Lepehova Natalia; Shoshinov Vitaly

    2017-01-01

    This article analyses interconnection of the degree of risk and the life cycle of the “green building” investment projects, which is structured according to the life cycle. Main stages of the implementation of investment and construction project were considered, interconnection of the project life cycle and the level of project risk were presented in the form of graphical model, proposed a mathematical model of the risk calculation at different stages of the project life cycle, which is a fun...

  14. Life Cycle and Fecundity Analysis of Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar (Diptera: Psychodidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Ferro

    1998-03-01

    Full Text Available The life cycle of Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar, was described for laboratory conditions with maximum daily temperatures of 27-30°C, minimum daily temperatures of 22-27°C and relative humidity between 87-99 %. Life cycle in each stage was as follows: egg 6-12 days (ave. 8.5 days; first stage larva 5-13 days (ave. 9.6 days; second stage larva 4-13 days (ave. 9.2 days ; third stage larva 5-19 days (ave. 11.8 days; fourth stage larva 7-37 days (ave. 19.9 days; pupa 7-32 days (ave. 15.2 days. The life expectancy of adults ranged from 4 to 15 days (ave. 8.6 days. The entire egg to adult period ranged from 36 to 74 days (ave. 54.6 days. On average, each female oviposited 22.7 eggs; the average egg retention per female was 24.3 eggs.

  15. Study of combined cycle engine for aerospace plane

    OpenAIRE

    苅田, 丈士; KANDA, Takeshi; 工藤, 賢司; KUDO, Kenji

    2002-01-01

    At the Ramjet Propulsion Research Center, the scramjet engine for an aerospace plane has been studied. Other engines are required for the plane to go into orbit. Recently, a combined cycle engine including scramjet mode has been also studied to complete the engine system for the plane. The scramjet and the combined cycle engine are most effective with application to the Single-Stage-to-Orbit (SSTO) aerospace plane, as shown in Figure 1. Recent activity on the combined cycle engine and the SST...

  16. Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) using the ecological scarcity ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    After it is done, the inventory will be interpreted to the environmental impacts in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). Two LCIA methods identified were “midpoint and endpoint” approaches. The ecological scarcity (ecopoints) is an LCIA method using “midpoint” approach. From the analysis to both life cycle stages, analysis ...

  17. Corporate governance cycles during transition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mygind, Niels; Demina, Natalia; Gregoric, Aleksandra

    2004-01-01

    -ing or exit stage. During transition the cycle reflects: privatization often with a high proportion of employee ownership like in Russia and in Slovenia; strong pressures for restructuring and owner-ship changes; limited possibility for external finance because of embryonic development of the fi......-nancial system. To provide simple hypothesis tests, we use Russian enterprise data for 1995-2003 and Slovenian data covering 1998-2003. In spite of differences in institutional development, con-cerning privatization and development of corporate governance institutions, we find that govern-ance cycles are broadly...... of ownership on managers, external domestic and foreign owners. JEL-codes: G3, J5, P2, P3 - Keywords: corporate governance, life-cycle, privatization, ownership change, transition economies, Russia and Slovenia....

  18. Prospects and progress status of the Advanced Fuel Cycle System in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Namba, T.; Funasaka, H.; Nagaoki, Y.; Sagayama, Y.

    2004-01-01

    Feasibility study on commercialized FR cycle systems has been carried out by a joint team established within JNC with the participation of all parties concerned in Japan since July, 1999. This research program aims to clarify various perspectives for commercializing the FR cycle. This also will suggest development strategies that correspond flexibly to diverse future social needs in the 21. century. After the Phase I, Phase II stage started from April, 2001 for five years. In this stage the highly feasible candidate concepts for FR cycle systems screened in the previous step have been intensively studied by both design study and elemental process tests. In this paper, results of mid-term evaluation of these concepts for FR cycle systems will be summarized

  19. Prospects and progress status of the Advanced Fuel Cycle System in Japan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Namba, T.; Funasaka, H.; Nagaoki, Y.; Sagayama, Y

    2004-07-01

    Feasibility study on commercialized FR cycle systems has been carried out by a joint team established within JNC with the participation of all parties concerned in Japan since July, 1999. This research program aims to clarify various perspectives for commercializing the FR cycle. This also will suggest development strategies that correspond flexibly to diverse future social needs in the 21. century. After the Phase I, Phase II stage started from April, 2001 for five years. In this stage the highly feasible candidate concepts for FR cycle systems screened in the previous step have been intensively studied by both design study and elemental process tests. In this paper, results of mid-term evaluation of these concepts for FR cycle systems will be summarized.

  20. Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-01-01

    Pictured is an artist's concept of the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) launch. The RBCC's overall objective is to provide a technology test bed to investigate critical technologies associated with opperational usage of these engines. The program will focus on near term technologies that can be leveraged to ultimately serve as the near term basis for Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) air breathing propulsions systems and ultimately a Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) air breathing propulsion system.

  1. Complex scheme of company image management on the stages of its life cycle

    OpenAIRE

    A.V. Kolodka

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the article. The aim of the article is to create a common integrated circuit image management during a life-cycle of enterprise based on internal and external economic conditions. The results of the analysis. In the article the general scheme of image management during a life-cycle of enterprise based on internal and external economic conditions is formed. There is no single view on the question of forming general concepts and approaches to image building. That threatens making ...

  2. Environmental analysis of natural gas life cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riva, A.; D'Angelosante, S.; Trebeschi, C.

    2000-01-01

    Life Cycle Assessment is a method aimed at identifying the environmental effects connected with a given product, process or activity during its whole life cycle. The evaluation of published studies and the application of the method to electricity production with fossil fuels, by using data from published databases and data collected by the gas industry, demonstrate the importance and difficulties to have reliable and updated data required for a significant life cycle assessment. The results show that the environmental advantages of natural gas over the other fossil fuels in the final use stage increase still further if the whole life cycle of the fuels, from production to final consumption, is taken into account [it

  3. Fatigue life estimation on coke drum due to cycle optimization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siahaan, Andrey Stephan; Ambarita, Himsar; Kawai, Hideki; Daimaruya, Masashi

    2018-04-01

    In the last decade, due to the increasing demand of petroleum product, the necessity for converting the heavy oil are increasing. Thus, demand for installing coke drum in whole world will be increase. The coke drum undergoes the cyclic high temperature and suddenly cooling but in fact is not designed to withstand that kind of cycle, thus the operational life of coke drum is much shorter in comparison to other equipment in oil refinery. Various factors determine in order to improve reliability and minimize the down time, and it is found that the cycle optimization due to cycle, temperature, and pressure have an important role. From this research it is found that the fatigue life of the short cycle is decrease by a half compare to the normal cycle. It also found that in the preheating stage, the stress peak is far exceed the yield strength of coke drum material and fall into plastic deformation. This is happened because of the temperature leap in the preheating stage that cause thermal shock in the upper part of the skirt of the coke drum.

  4. Economic Growth and the Evolution of Material Cycles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Chao; Chen, Wei Qiang; Liu, Gang

    2017-01-01

    Understanding the relationship between material cycles and economic growth is essential for relieving environmental pressures associated with material extraction, production, and consumption. We developed an integrated analytical framework of dematerialization analysis incorporating both material...... flow and stock indicators. A four-quadrant diagram is designed to classify different stages of dematerialization based on the elasticity of material flow/stock to economic output or well-being. We then conducted a case study on the long-term evolution of aluminum cycle in the U.S., and found...... and secondary material recycling, take effect at different stages of economic development. Comprehensive understanding of dematerialization depends on in-depth analysis on material-economy relationships from an integrated stock and flow perspective....

  5. Application of product life cycle concept to private label management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Horvat

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Private labels have recorded significant growth rates worldwide, becoming a serious threat to manufacturer brands. Development of private labels in many different product categories increased the complexity of their management. Therefore, this paper examines the possibility of using the product life cycle concept in private label management. Given that private labels are a specific brand type, it is necessary to adjust certain elements of the product life cycle concept, as it was developed on the basis of manufacturer brands. For instance, in the growth stage of the product life cycle, retailers expand private labels to a number of product categories and use the push strategy while manufacturers tend to expand their distribution network in the expansion of their brands and predominantly use the pull strategy in doing so. Furthermore, there is a focus shift from low-price strategy, predominantly used in the introduction phase, to increasing the quality and private label value in the later stages of the product life cycle.

  6. Three-stage linear, split-Stirling cryocooler for 1 to 2K magnetic cold stage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Longsworth, R.C.

    1993-08-01

    A long-life, linear, high efficiency 8K split Stirling cycle cryocooler was designed, built, and tested. The refrigerator is designed for cooling a 50 mW, 1.5K magnetic cold stage. Dual opposed piston compressors are driven by moving-coil linear motors. The three stage expander, although not completed, is also driven by a linear motor and is designed to produce 1 SW at 60K, 4W at 16K, and 1.2W at 8K. The cold regenerator employs a parallel gap construction for high efficiency. The key technology areas addressed include warm and cold flexible suspension bearings and a new cold regenerator geometry for high efficiency at 8K

  7. Low cycle fatigue analysis of a last stage steam turbine blade

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Měšťánek P.

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available The present paper deals with the low cycle fatigue analysis of the low pressure (LP steam turbine blade. The blade is cyclically loaded by the centrifugal force because of the repeated startups of the turbine. The goal of the research is to develop a technique to assess fatigue life of the blade and to determine the number of startups to the crack initiation. Two approaches were employed. First approach is based on the elastic finite element analysis. Fictive 'elastic' results are recalculated using Neuber's rule and the equivalent energy method. Triaxial state of stress is reduced using von Mises theory. Strain amplitude is calculated employing the cyclic deformation curve. Second approach is based on elastic-plastic FE analysis. Strain amplitude is determined directly from the FE analysis by reducing the triaxial state of strain. Fatigue life was assessed using uniaxial damage parameters. Both approaches are compared and their applicability is discussed. Factors that can influence the fatigue life are introduced. Experimental low cycle fatigue testing is shortly described.

  8. Life cycle assessment of asphalt pavement maintenance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    This study aims at developing a life cycle assessment (LCA) model to quantify the impact of pavement preservation on energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The construction stage contains material, manufacture, transportation and plac...

  9. Analysing how plants in coastal wetlands respond to varying tidal regimes throughout their life cycles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Tian; Cui, Baoshan; Li, Shanze

    2017-10-15

    Important to conserve plant species in coastal wetlands throughout their life cycle. All life stages in these habitats are exposed to varying tidal cycles. It is necessary to investigate all life stages as to how they respond to varying tidal regimes. We examine three wetlands containing populations of an endangered halophyte species, each subjected to different tidal regimes: (1). wetlands completely closed to tidal cycles; (2). wetlands directly exposed to tidal cycles (3). wetlands exposed to a partially closed tidal regime. Our results showed that the most threatened stage varied between wetlands subjected to these varying tidal regimes. We hypothesis that populations of this species have adapted to these different tidal regimes. Such information is useful in developing management options for coastal wetlands and modifying future barriers restricting tidal flushing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Development methodology for the software life cycle process of the safety software

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, D. H.; Lee, S. S. [BNF Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Cha, K. H.; Lee, C. S.; Kwon, K. C.; Han, H. B. [KAERI, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    2002-05-01

    A methodology for developing software life cycle processes (SLCP) is proposed to develop the digital safety-critical Engineered Safety Features - Component Control System (ESF-CCS) successfully. A software life cycle model is selected as the hybrid model mixed with waterfall, prototyping, and spiral models and is composed of two stages , development stages of prototype of ESF-CCS and ESF-CCS. To produce the software life cycle (SLC) for the Development of the Digital Reactor Safety System, the Activities referenced in IEEE Std. 1074-1997 are mapped onto the hybrid model. The SLCP is established after the available OPAs (Organizational Process Asset) are applied to the SLC Activities, and the known constraints are reconciled. The established SLCP describes well the software life cycle activities with which the Regulatory Authority provides.

  11. Development methodology for the software life cycle process of the safety software

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, D. H.; Lee, S. S.; Cha, K. H.; Lee, C. S.; Kwon, K. C.; Han, H. B.

    2002-01-01

    A methodology for developing software life cycle processes (SLCP) is proposed to develop the digital safety-critical Engineered Safety Features - Component Control System (ESF-CCS) successfully. A software life cycle model is selected as the hybrid model mixed with waterfall, prototyping, and spiral models and is composed of two stages , development stages of prototype of ESF-CCS and ESF-CCS. To produce the software life cycle (SLC) for the Development of the Digital Reactor Safety System, the Activities referenced in IEEE Std. 1074-1997 are mapped onto the hybrid model. The SLCP is established after the available OPAs (Organizational Process Asset) are applied to the SLC Activities, and the known constraints are reconciled. The established SLCP describes well the software life cycle activities with which the Regulatory Authority provides

  12. Stoichiometric implications of a biphasic life cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiegs, Scott D; Berven, Keith A; Carmack, Douglas J; Capps, Krista A

    2016-03-01

    Animals mediate flows of elements and energy in ecosystems through processes such as nutrient sequestration in body tissues, and mineralization through excretion. For taxa with biphasic life cycles, the dramatic shifts in anatomy and physiology that occur during ontogeny are expected to be accompanied by changes in body and excreta stoichiometry, but remain little-explored, especially in vertebrates. Here we tested stoichiometric hypotheses related to the bodies and excreta of the wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) across life stages and during larval development. Per-capita rates of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excretion varied widely during larval ontogeny, followed unimodal patterns, and peaked midway through development (Taylor-Kollros stages XV and XII, respectively). Larval mass did not increase steadily during development but peaked at stage XVII and declined until the termination of the experiment at stage XXII. Mass-specific N and P excretion rates of the larvae decreased exponentially during development. When coupled with population-biomass estimates, population-level excretion rates were greatest at stages VIII-X. Percent carbon (C), N, and C:N of body tissue showed weak trends across major life stages; body P and C:P, however, increased sixfold during development from egg to adult. Our results demonstrate that intraspecific ontogenic changes in nutrient contents of excretion and body tissues can be significant, and that N and P are not always excreted proportionally throughout life cycles. These results highlight the dynamic roles that species play in ecosystems, and how the morphological and physiological changes that accompany ontogeny can influence ecosystem-level processes.

  13. Two cycles of cisplatin-vindesine and radiotherapy for localized nonsmall cell carcinoma of the lung (stage III). Results of a prospective trial with 149 patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tourani, J.M.; Timsit, J.F.; Delaisement, C.; Balzon, J.C.; Caubarrere, I.; Darse, J.; Geraads, A.; Lebas, F.X.; Andrieu, J.M.

    1990-01-01

    One hundred forty-nine patients with localized nonsmall cell carcinoma of the lung (Stage III A and B) were treated with two monthly cycles of initial chemotherapy that included vindesine-cisplatin followed by 6000 cGy of thoracic irradiation. Patients with complete, partial, and minor response after initial chemotherapy were randomized into groups to receive either maintenance chemotherapy (four cycles) after radiotherapy or radiotherapy alone. The objective response rate was 24% after chemotherapy and 41% after combined chemoradiotherapy (complete response, 7.5%). The overall median survival was 9 months and the 2-year survival was 14%. Survival was identical with or without maintenance chemotherapy. The 2-year survival of patients with complete response was 75% compared with 9% for patients with partial or minor response. These results suggest that only the few patients (ten) who achieve complete response have a strong probability of survival. It is therefore essential to search for other therapeutic modalities that result in an increase of the complete response rate

  14. Models of the Organizational Life Cycle: Applications to Higher Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron, Kim S.; Whetten, David A.

    1983-01-01

    A review of models of group and organization life cycle development is provided and the applicability of those models for institutions of higher education are discussed. An understanding of the problems and characteristics present in different life cycle stages can help institutions manage transitions more effectively. (Author/MLW)

  15. A hybrid mammalian cell cycle model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincent Noël

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid modeling provides an effective solution to cope with multiple time scales dynamics in systems biology. Among the applications of this method, one of the most important is the cell cycle regulation. The machinery of the cell cycle, leading to cell division and proliferation, combines slow growth, spatio-temporal re-organisation of the cell, and rapid changes of regulatory proteins concentrations induced by post-translational modifications. The advancement through the cell cycle comprises a well defined sequence of stages, separated by checkpoint transitions. The combination of continuous and discrete changes justifies hybrid modelling approaches to cell cycle dynamics. We present a piecewise-smooth version of a mammalian cell cycle model, obtained by hybridization from a smooth biochemical model. The approximate hybridization scheme, leading to simplified reaction rates and binary event location functions, is based on learning from a training set of trajectories of the smooth model. We discuss several learning strategies for the parameters of the hybrid model.

  16. THE INFLUENCE OF THE ENTERPRISE LIFE CYCLE ON THE EFFICIENCY OF INVESTMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viktor Koval

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The article presents results of the study of relations between the enterprise life cycle and the efficiency of investment in the context of dynamic, rapid changes in the conditions of enterprises operation and development. It is determined that one of the main factors of success is the introduction of innovative technologies in the production process, which cannot be carried out without attracting investments. It is the investment activity of enterprises that determines the dynamics of their development, the level of competitiveness and the growth of productive resources, which affects the efficiency of their activities. It is proved that it is relevant to take into account the possible negative effects of the influence of factors divergence. The purpose of the study is to analyse possibilities of determining the impact of life cycle stages on the efficiency of investing in an enterprise. The methodological basis of the research is grounded on the general scientific methods of dialectics, observation, measurement, and formalization; methods of the system and statistical analysis. In particular, to determine the influence of internal factors on the indicators of the efficiency of investment activity of the enterprise at the stages of its life cycle, deterministic factor analysis is applied; methods of systematization and synthesis, analysis and synthesis are also used. It is determined that the construction industry plays a special role in the national economy since its development creates a synergistic effect for the development of other industries, increases the standard of living of the society through solving certain socioeconomic problems. The analytical data of construction enterprises activity in Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions of Ukraine became the basis for the approbation of the proposed approach. The use of the life cycle model of the enterprise, which includes the stage of growth (slow and rapid growth, stability stage and the stage

  17. The use of solar faculae in studies of the sunspot cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, G.M.; Evans, R.

    1980-01-01

    Comparison of the long-term variation of photospheric faculae areas with that of sunspots shows that studies of faculae provide both complementary and supplementary information on the behaviour of the solar cycle. Detailed studies of the development of sunspots with respect to faculae show that there is a high degree of order over much of a given cycle, but marked differences from cycle to cycle. Within a cycle the relationship between spot and faculae areas appears to be similar for the N and S solar hemispheres, and over the early stages of a cycle it is directly related to the magnitude of the maximum sunspot number subsequently attained in that cycle. This result may well have predictive applications, and formulae are given relating the peak sunspot number to simple parameters derived from this early developmental stage. Full application to the current cycle 21 is denied due to the cessation of the Greenwich daily photoheliographic measurements, but use of the cruder weekly data suggests a maximum smoothed sunspot number of 150 +- 22. The effects of the incompatibility of the spot and faculae data, in that faculae are unobservable over a large fraction of the solar disc and also do not always develop associated spots, have been examined in a detailed study of two cycles and shown not to vitiate the results. (orig.)

  18. Petri Net Modeling of Computer Virus Life Cycle | Ikekonwu ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Virus life cycle, which refers to the stages of development of a computer virus, is presented as a suitable area for the application of Petri nets. Petri nets a powerful modeling tool in the field of dynamic system analysis is applied to model the virus life cycle. Simulation of the derived model is also presented. The intention of ...

  19. Thermodynamic Analysis of Supplementary-Fired Gas Turbine Cycles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Elmegaard, Brian; Henriksen, Ulrik Birk; Qvale, Einar Bjørn

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents an analysis of the possibilities for improving the efficiency of an indirectly biomass-fired gas turbine (IBFGT) by supplementary direct gas-firing. The supplementary firing may be based on natural gas, biogas, or pyrolysis gas. {The interest in this cycle arise from a recent...... demonstration of a two-stage gasification process through construction of several plants.} A preliminary analysis of the ideal recuperated Brayton cycle shows that for this cycle any supplementary firing will have a marginal efficiency of unity per extra unit of fuel. The same result is obtained...

  20. Parameter Sensitivity Study for Typical Expander-Based Transcritical CO2 Refrigeration Cycles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Zhang

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available A sensitivity study was conducted for three typical expander-based transcritical CO2 cycles with the developed simulation model, and the sensitivities of the maximum coefficient of performance (COP to the key operating parameters, including the inlet pressure of gas cooler, the temperatures at evaporator inlet and gas cooler outlet, the inter-stage pressure and the isentropic efficiency of expander, were obtained. The results showed that the sensitivity to the gas cooler inlet pressure differs greatly before and after the optimal gas cooler inlet pressure. The sensitivity to the intercooler outlet temperature in the two-stage cycles increases sharply to near zero and then keeps almost constant at intercooler outlet temperature of higher than 45 °C. However, the sensitivity stabilizes near zero when the evaporator inlet temperature is very low of −26.1 °C. In two-stage compression with an intercooler and an expander assisting in driving the first-stage compressor (TEADFC cycle, an abrupt change in the sensitivity of maximum COP to the inter-stage pressure was observed, but disappeared after intercooler outlet temperature exceeds 50 °C. The sensitivity of maximum COP to the expander isentropic efficiency increases almost linearly with the expander isentropic efficiency.

  1. Seasonal thermal energy storage in shallow geothermal systems: thermal equilibrium stage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nowamooz Hossein

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper is dedicated to the study of seasonal heat storage in shallow geothermal installations in unsaturated soils for which hydrothermal properties such as degree of saturation and thermal conductivity vary with time throughout the profile. In the model, a semi-analytical model which estimates time-spatial thermal conductivity is coupled with a 2D cylindrical heat transfer modeling using finite difference method. The variation of temperature was obtained after 3 heating and cooling cycles for the different types of loads with maximum thermal load of qmax = 15 W.m−1 with variable angular frequency (8 months of heating and 4 months of cooling.and constant angular frequency (6 months of heating and 6 months of cooling to estimate the necessary number of cycles to reach the thermal equilibrium stage. The results show that we approach a thermal equilibrium stage where the same variation of temperature can be observed in soils after several heating and cooling cycles. Based on these simulations, the necessary number of cycles can be related to the total applied energy on the system and the minimum number of cycles is for a system with the total applied energy of 1.9qmax.

  2. LIFE CYCLE OF A WINE BRAND

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viktoriia Paziuk

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the work is to determine the life cycle of the wine brand, the development of ways to improve its effectiveness at different stages of the life cycle. Being scientifically informed of the existence of the life cycle of the brand allows modern enterprises to enhance their competitive position in the market and take advantage of the acquired differences in order to attract more attention from consumers. Methods. The study is based on scientific methods of research of economic phenomena: the dialectic, abstract logical (in the exercise of theoretical generalizations to the definition of the concept of «life cycle of the perpetrator of the brand, a scientific abstraction, comparison and ordering (the study of factors influencing the life cycle of the perpetrator of the brand and the factors influencing a choice of products for consumers, statistical and problem-chronological (the study of the requirements of the brand in a changing consumer preferences, logical generalization (in determining the social and ethical functions guilty brand. Results. The stages of the life cycle of the wine brand, which take into account its characteristics and form its social and ethical functions. Describing the requirements for the wine brand in the changing tastes and preferences of consumers. Specification of wine promotion of the brand in an increasingly competitive environment. Preconditions have been set for a new wine brand. The practical significance. The brand always increases the value of the product and its entry into new markets, as well as reduces the time to attract consumers. Possibility to ensure the growth of the brand in a declining market; building market share in a highly competitive environment; marketing innovative products in order to create a new sales strategy. After all, to gain and maintain the popularity of a certain product, one must personalize it with giving associations and a way to provide it with distinctive features. Only

  3. The radiological risks associated with the thorium fuelled HTGR fuel cycle. A comparative risk evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dodd, D.H.; Hienen, J.F.A. van.

    1995-10-01

    This report presents the results of task B.3 of the 'Technology Assessment of the High Temperature Reactor' project. The objective of task B.3 was to evaluate the radiological risks to the general public associated with the sustainable HTGR cycle. Since the technologies to be used at several stages of this fuel cycle are still in the design phase and since a detailed specification of this fuel cycle has not yet been developed, the emphasis was on obtaining a global impression of the risk associated with a generic thorium-based HTGR fuel cycle. This impression was obtained by performing a comparative risk analysis on the basis of data given in the literature. As reference for the comparison a generic uranium fuelled LWR cycle was used. The major benefit with respect to the radiological rsiks of basing the fuel cycle around modular HTGR technology instead of the LWR technology is the increase in reactor safety. The design of the modular HTGR is expected to prevent the release of a significant amount of radioactive material to the environment, and hence early deaths in the surrounding population, during accident conditions. This implies that there is no group risk as defined in the Dutch risk management policy. The major benefit of thorium based fuel cycles over uranium based fuel cycles is the reduction in the radiological risks from unraium mining and milling. The other stages of the nuclear fuel cycle which make a significant contribution to the radiological risks are electricity generation, reprocessing and final disposal. The risks associated with the electricity generation stage are dominated by the risks from fission products, activated corrosion products and the activation products tritium and carbon-14. The risks associated with the reprocessing stage are determined by fission and activation products (including actinides). (orig./WL)

  4. The radiological risks associated with the thorium fuelled HTGR fuel cycle. A comparative risk evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dodd, D.H.; Hienen, J.F.A. van

    1995-10-01

    This report presents the results of task B.3 of the `Technology Assessment of the High Temperature Reactor` project. The objective of task B.3 was to evaluate the radiological risks to the general public associated with the sustainable HTGR cycle. Since the technologies to be used at several stages of this fuel cycle are still in the design phase and since a detailed specification of this fuel cycle has not yet been developed, the emphasis was on obtaining a global impression of the risk associated with a generic thorium-based HTGR fuel cycle. This impression was obtained by performing a comparative risk analysis on the basis of data given in the literature. As reference for the comparison a generic uranium fuelled LWR cycle was used. The major benefit with respect to the radiological rsiks of basing the fuel cycle around modular HTGR technology instead of the LWR technology is the increase in reactor safety. The design of the modular HTGR is expected to prevent the release of a significant amount of radioactive material to the environment, and hence early deaths in the surrounding population, during accident conditions. This implies that there is no group risk as defined in the Dutch risk management policy. The major benefit of thorium based fuel cycles over uranium based fuel cycles is the reduction in the radiological risks from unraium mining and milling. The other stages of the nuclear fuel cycle which make a significant contribution to the radiological risks are electricity generation, reprocessing and final disposal. The risks associated with the electricity generation stage are dominated by the risks from fission products, activated corrosion products and the activation products tritium and carbon-14. The risks associated with the reprocessing stage are determined by fission and activation products (including actinides). (orig./WL).

  5. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and exergetic life cycle assessment (ELCA) of the production of biodiesel from used cooking oil (UCO)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talens Peiro, L.; Lombardi, L.; Villalba Mendez, G.; Gabarrell i Durany, X.

    2010-01-01

    The paper assesses the life cycle of biodiesel from used cooking oil (UCO). Such life cycle involves 4 stages: 1) collection, 2) pre-treatment, 3) delivery and 4) transesterification of UCO. Generally, UCO is collected from restaurants, food industries and recycling centres by authorised companies. Then, UCO is pre-treated to remove solid particles and water to increase its quality. After that, it is charged in cistern trucks and delivered to the biodiesel facility to be then transesterified with methanol to biodiesel. The production of 1 ton of biodiesel is evaluated by a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to assess the environmental impact and by an Exergetic Life Cycle Assessment (ELCA) to account for the exergy input to the system. A detailed list of material and energy inputs is done using data from local companies and completed using Ecoinvent 1.2 database. The results show that the transesterification stage causes 68% of the total environmental impact. The major exergy inputs are uranium and natural gas. If targets set by the Spanish Renewable Energy Plan are achieved, the exergy input for producing biodiesel would be reduced by 8% in the present system and consequently environmental impacts and exergy input reduced up to 36% in 2010.

  6. MicroRNA expression profiling during the life cycle of the silkworm (Bombyx mori

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng Daojun

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs are expressed by a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, and function in diverse biological processes. Numerous miRNAs have been identified in Bombyx mori, but the temporal expression profiles of miRNAs corresponding to each stage transition over the entire life cycle of the silkworm remain to be established. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the correlation between miRNA expression and stage transitions, we performed a whole-life test and subsequent stage-by-stage examinations on nearly one hundred miRNAs in the silkworm. Results Our results show that miRNAs display a wide variety of expression profiles over the whole life of the silkworm, including continuous expression from embryo to adult (miR-184, up-regulation over the entire life cycle (let-7 and miR-100, down-regulation over the entire life cycle (miR-124, expression associated with embryogenesis (miR-29 and miR-92, up-regulation from early 3rd instar to pupa (miR-275, and complementary pulses in expression between miR-34b and miR-275. Stage-by-stage examinations revealed further expression patterns, such as emergence at specific time-points during embryogenesis and up-regulation of miRNA groups in late embryos (miR-1 and bantam, expression associated with stage transition between instar and molt larval stages (miR-34b, expression associated with silk gland growth and spinning activity (miR-274, continuous high expression from the spinning larval to pupal and adult stages (miR-252 and miR-31a, a coordinate expression trough in day 3 pupae of both sexes (miR-10b and miR-281, up-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-29b, and down-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-275. Conclusion We present the full-scale expression profiles of miRNAs throughout the life cycle of Bombyx mori. The whole-life expression profile was further investigated via stage-by-stage analysis. Our data provide an important resource for more detailed

  7. MicroRNA expression profiling during the life cycle of the silkworm (Bombyx mori).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shiping; Zhang, Liang; Li, Qibin; Zhao, Ping; Duan, Jun; Cheng, Daojun; Xiang, Zhonghuai; Xia, Qingyou

    2009-09-28

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are expressed by a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, and function in diverse biological processes. Numerous miRNAs have been identified in Bombyx mori, but the temporal expression profiles of miRNAs corresponding to each stage transition over the entire life cycle of the silkworm remain to be established. To obtain a comprehensive overview of the correlation between miRNA expression and stage transitions, we performed a whole-life test and subsequent stage-by-stage examinations on nearly one hundred miRNAs in the silkworm. Our results show that miRNAs display a wide variety of expression profiles over the whole life of the silkworm, including continuous expression from embryo to adult (miR-184), up-regulation over the entire life cycle (let-7 and miR-100), down-regulation over the entire life cycle (miR-124), expression associated with embryogenesis (miR-29 and miR-92), up-regulation from early 3rd instar to pupa (miR-275), and complementary pulses in expression between miR-34b and miR-275. Stage-by-stage examinations revealed further expression patterns, such as emergence at specific time-points during embryogenesis and up-regulation of miRNA groups in late embryos (miR-1 and bantam), expression associated with stage transition between instar and molt larval stages (miR-34b), expression associated with silk gland growth and spinning activity (miR-274), continuous high expression from the spinning larval to pupal and adult stages (miR-252 and miR-31a), a coordinate expression trough in day 3 pupae of both sexes (miR-10b and miR-281), up-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-29b), and down-regulation in pupal metamorphosis of both sexes (miR-275). We present the full-scale expression profiles of miRNAs throughout the life cycle of Bombyx mori. The whole-life expression profile was further investigated via stage-by-stage analysis. Our data provide an important resource for more detailed functional analysis of miRNAs in this animal.

  8. Future reactors and their fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rastoin, J.

    1990-01-01

    Known world reserves of oil and natural gas may only last another 50 years and therefore nuclear energy will become more important in the future. Industrialised countries should also be encouraged to conserve their oil reserves to make better use of them and share them with less developed countries. France already produces 30% or more of its primary energy from uranium in the form of nuclear generated electricity. France has therefore accumulated considerable expertise in all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle. Each stage of the fuel cycle, extraction, enrichment, fuel fabrication, fissile material utilisation, reprocessing and waste storage is discussed. The utilisation of fissile material is the most important stage and this is considered in more detail under headings: increase in burn-up, spectral shift, plutonium utilisation including recycling in pressurized water reactors and fast reactors and utilisation of reprocessed uranium. It is concluded that nuclear power for electricity production will be widely used throughout the world in the future. (UK)

  9. Low-Dose Consolidation Radiation Therapy for Early Stage Unfavorable Hodgkin Lymphoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Torok, Jordan A., E-mail: jordan.torok@dm.duke.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Wu, Yuan [Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Prosnitz, Leonard R.; Kim, Grace J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Beaven, Anne W.; Diehl, Louis F. [Division of Hematologic Malignancy and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Kelsey, Chris R. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States)

    2015-05-01

    Purpose: The German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG) trial HD11 established 4 cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) and 30 Gy of radiation therapy (RT) as a standard for early stage (I, II), unfavorable Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Additional cycles of ABVD may allow for a reduction in RT dose and improved toxicity profile. Methods and Materials: Patients treated with combined modality therapy at the Duke Cancer Institute for early stage, unfavorable HL by GHSG criteria from 1994 to 2012 were included. Patients who did not undergo post-chemotherapy functional imaging (positron emission tomography or gallium imaging) or who failed to achieve a complete response were excluded. Clinical outcomes were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Late effects were also evaluated. Results: A total of 90 patients met inclusion criteria for analysis. Median follow-up was 5 years. Chemotherapy consisted primarily of ABVD (88%) with a median number of 6 cycles. The median dose of consolidation RT was 23.4 Gy. Four patients had relapses, 2 of which were in-field. Ten-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 93% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.82-0.97) and 98% (95% CI: 0.92-0.99), respectively. For the subset of patients (n=46) who received 5 to 6 cycles of chemotherapy and ≤24 Gy, the 10-year PFS and OS values were 88% (95% CI: 70%-96%) and 98% (95% CI: 85% - 99%), respectively. The most common late effect was hypothyroidism (20%) with no cardiac complications. Seven secondary malignancies were diagnosed, with only 1 arising within the RT field. Conclusions: Lower doses of RT may be sufficient when combined with more than 4 cycles of ABVD for early stage, unfavorable HL and may result in a more favorable toxicity profile than 4 cycles of ABVD and 30 Gy of RT.

  10. A synergetic hybridization of adsorption cycle with the multi-effect distillation (MED)

    KAUST Repository

    Thu, K.

    2014-01-01

    Multi-effect distillation (MED) systems are proven and energy efficient thermally-driven desalination systems for handling harsh seawater feed in the Gulf region. The high cycle efficiency is markedly achieved by latent energy re-use with minimal stage temperature-difference across the condensing steam and the evaporating saline seawater in each stage. The efficacies of MED system are (i) its low stage-temperature-difference between top brine temperature (TBT) and final condensing temperature, (ii) its robustness to varying salinity and ability to handle harmful algae Blooming (HABs) and (iii) its compact foot-print per unit water output. The practical TBT of MED systems, hitherto, is around 65 C for controllable scaling and fouling with the ambient-limited final condenser temperature, usually from 30 to 45 C. The adsorption (ADC) cycles utilize low-temperature heat sources (typically below 90 C) to produce useful cooling power and potable water. Hybridizing MED with AD cycles, they synergistically improve the water production rates at the same energy input whilst the AD cycle is driven by the recovered waste heat. We present a practical AD + MED combination that can be retrofitted to existing MEDs: The cooling energy of AD cycle through the water vapor uptake by the adsorbent is recycled internally, providing lower temperature condensing environment in the effects whilst the final condensing temperature of MED is as low as 5-10 C, which is below ambient. The increase in the temperature difference between TBT and final condensing temperature accommodates additional MED stages. A detailed numerical model is presented to capture the transient behaviors of heat and mass interactions in the combined AD + MED cycles and the results are presented in terms of key variables. It is observed that the water production rates of the combined cycle increase to give a GOR of 8.8 from an initial value of 5.9. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. RNA-Seq analysis during the life cycle of Cryptosporidium parvum reveals significant differential gene expression between proliferating stages in the intestine and infectious sporozoites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lippuner, Christoph; Ramakrishnan, Chandra; Basso, Walter U; Schmid, Marc W; Okoniewski, Michal; Smith, Nicholas C; Hässig, Michael; Deplazes, Peter; Hehl, Adrian B

    2018-05-01

    Cryptosporidium parvum is a major cause of diarrhoea in humans and animals. There are no vaccines and few drugs available to control C. parvum. In this study, we used RNA-Seq to compare gene expression in sporozoites and intracellular stages of C. parvum to identify genes likely to be important for successful completion of the parasite's life cycle and, thereby, possible targets for drugs or vaccines. We identified 3774 protein-encoding transcripts in C. parvum. Applying a stringent cut-off of eight fold for determination of differential expression, we identified 173 genes (26 coding for predicted secreted proteins) upregulated in sporozoites. On the other hand, expression of 1259 genes was upregulated in intestinal stages (merozoites/gamonts) with a gene ontology enrichment for 63 biological processes and upregulation of 117 genes in 23 metabolic pathways. There was no clear stage specificity of expression of AP2-domain containing transcription factors, although sporozoites had a relatively small repertoire of these important regulators. Our RNA-Seq analysis revealed a new calcium-dependent protein kinase, bringing the total number of known calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) in C. parvum to 11. One of these, CDPK1, was expressed in all stages, strengthening the notion that it is a valid drug target. By comparing parasites grown in vivo (which produce bona fide thick-walled oocysts) and in vitro (which are arrested in sexual development prior to oocyst generation) we were able to confirm that genes encoding oocyst wall proteins are expressed in gametocytes and that the proteins are stockpiled rather than generated de novo in zygotes. RNA-Seq analysis of C. parvum revealed genes expressed in a stage-specific manner and others whose expression is required at all stages of development. The functional significance of these can now be addressed through recent advances in transgenics for C. parvum, and may lead to the identification of viable drug and vaccine

  12. Effects of copper on early developmental stages of Lessonia nigrescens Bory (Phaeophyceae)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Contreras, Loretto [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile); Medina, Matias H. [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile); CIIMAR - Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigacao Marinha e Ambiental, Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Universidade do Porto (Portugal); Andrade, Santiago [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile); Oppliger, Valeria [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile); Correa, Juan A. [Departamento de Ecologia, Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Post-code 6513677, Alameda 340, Santiago (Chile)]. E-mail: jcorrea@bio.puc.cl

    2007-01-15

    Copper effects on the early developmental gametophytic and sporophytic stages of the kelp Lessonia nigrescens were tested in gradients of increasing concentrations of ASV-labile copper. The results demonstrated a high sensitivity to copper of all life-history stages of the alga, where even the lowest tested concentration affected spore release as well as their subsequent settlement. More significant, concentrations higher than 7.87 {mu}g L{sup -1} totally interrupted the development of the spores after they settle. This effect led to a failure in the formation of male and female gametophytes and, as a consequence, to a complete disruption of the normal life cycle of the kelp. Thus, we suggest that the absence of L. nigrescens from copper-enriched environments results from the high sensitivity of its early life cycle stages, which limits growth and maturation of the gametophytic microscopic phase and, as a consequence, prevents development of the macroscopic sporophytic phase. - Early developmental stages of Lessonia nigrescens are highly sensitive to copper.

  13. Effects of copper on early developmental stages of Lessonia nigrescens Bory (Phaeophyceae)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Contreras, Loretto; Medina, Matias H.; Andrade, Santiago; Oppliger, Valeria; Correa, Juan A.

    2007-01-01

    Copper effects on the early developmental gametophytic and sporophytic stages of the kelp Lessonia nigrescens were tested in gradients of increasing concentrations of ASV-labile copper. The results demonstrated a high sensitivity to copper of all life-history stages of the alga, where even the lowest tested concentration affected spore release as well as their subsequent settlement. More significant, concentrations higher than 7.87 μg L -1 totally interrupted the development of the spores after they settle. This effect led to a failure in the formation of male and female gametophytes and, as a consequence, to a complete disruption of the normal life cycle of the kelp. Thus, we suggest that the absence of L. nigrescens from copper-enriched environments results from the high sensitivity of its early life cycle stages, which limits growth and maturation of the gametophytic microscopic phase and, as a consequence, prevents development of the macroscopic sporophytic phase. - Early developmental stages of Lessonia nigrescens are highly sensitive to copper

  14. Life histories of microalgal species causing harmful blooms: Haploids, diploids and the relevance of benthic stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueroa, Rosa Isabel; Estrada, Marta; Garcés, Esther

    2018-03-01

    In coastal and offshore waters, Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) currently threaten the well-being of coastal countries. These events, which can be localized or involve wide-ranging areas, pose risks to human health, marine ecosystems, and economic resources, such as tourism, fisheries, and aquaculture. Dynamics of HABs vary from one site to another, depending on the hydrographic and ecological conditions. The challenge in investigating HABs is that they are caused by organisms from multiple algal classes, each with its own unique features, including different life histories. The complete algal life cycle has been determined in life cycles of bloom-forming species is essential in developing preventative measures. The knowledge obtained thus far has confirmed the complexity of the algal life cycle, which is composed of discrete life stages whose morphology, ecological niche (plankton/benthos), function, and lifespan vary. The factors that trigger transitions between the different stages in nature are mostly unknown, but it is clear that an understanding of this process provides the key to effectively forecasting bloom recurrence, maintenance, and decline. Planktonic stages constitute an ephemeral phase of the life cycle of most species whereas resistant, benthic stages enable a species to withstand adverse conditions for prolonged periods, thus providing dormant reservoirs for eventual blooms and facilitating organismal dispersal. Here we review current knowledge of the life cycle strategies of major groups of HAB producers in marine and brackish waters. Rather than providing a comprehensive discussion, the objective was to highlight several of the research milestones that have changed our understanding of the plasticity and frequency of the different life cycle stages as well as the transitions between them. We also discuss the relevance of benthic and planktonic forms and their implications for HAB dynamics. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING, ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND PERFORMANCE: AN ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE CYCLE APPROACH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Héctor Montiel Campos

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available EntrepreneurialOrientation (EO and Strategic Decision Making (SDM have been studied in awide variety of settings. However, there is not enough research available thatcombines both topics and studies the ways in which entrepreneurs make strategicdecisions in early stages of organizational life cycle. The purpose of thisresearch was therefore to examine the effects of the factors associated withthe decision maker influencing EO and performance for two categories of firms.The results were achieved by using empirical data from two independent samplesof firms in different stages of organizational life cycle: start-up stage (n=133 and growth stage (n=173. The results show that SDM andcontrol variables have different effects in the two samples; however, for bothsamples there is significant relation between EO and performance. The paperconcludes with a discussion about the results and suggestions for futureresearch.

  16. A comparison of production system life cycle models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attri, Rajesh; Grover, Sandeep

    2012-09-01

    Companies today need to keep up with the rapidly changing market conditions to stay competitive. The main issues in this paper are related to a company's market and its competitors. The prediction of market behavior is helpful for a manufacturing enterprise to build efficient production systems. However, these predictions are usually not reliable. A production system is required to adapt to changing markets, but such requirement entails higher cost. Hence, analyzing different life cycle models of the production system is necessary. In this paper, different life cycle models of the production system are compared to evaluate the distinctive features and the limitations of each model. Furthermore, the difference between product life cycle and production life cycle is summarized, and the effect of product life cycle on production life cycle is explained. Finally, a production system life cycle model, along with key activities to be performed in each stage, is proposed specifically for the manufacturing sector.

  17. A signature-based method for indexing cell cycle phase distribution from microarray profiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mizuno Hideaki

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The cell cycle machinery interprets oncogenic signals and reflects the biology of cancers. To date, various methods for cell cycle phase estimation such as mitotic index, S phase fraction, and immunohistochemistry have provided valuable information on cancers (e.g. proliferation rate. However, those methods rely on one or few measurements and the scope of the information is limited. There is a need for more systematic cell cycle analysis methods. Results We developed a signature-based method for indexing cell cycle phase distribution from microarray profiles under consideration of cycling and non-cycling cells. A cell cycle signature masterset, composed of genes which express preferentially in cycling cells and in a cell cycle-regulated manner, was created to index the proportion of cycling cells in the sample. Cell cycle signature subsets, composed of genes whose expressions peak at specific stages of the cell cycle, were also created to index the proportion of cells in the corresponding stages. The method was validated using cell cycle datasets and quiescence-induced cell datasets. Analyses of a mouse tumor model dataset and human breast cancer datasets revealed variations in the proportion of cycling cells. When the influence of non-cycling cells was taken into account, "buried" cell cycle phase distributions were depicted that were oncogenic-event specific in the mouse tumor model dataset and were associated with patients' prognosis in the human breast cancer datasets. Conclusion The signature-based cell cycle analysis method presented in this report, would potentially be of value for cancer characterization and diagnostics.

  18. Thermodynamic Analysis of Supplementary-Fired Gas Turbine Cycles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Elmegaard, Brian; Henriksen, Ulrik Birk; Qvale, Einar Bjørn

    2003-01-01

    to result in a high marginal efficiency. The paper shows that depending on the application, this is not always the case. The interest in this cycle arises from a recent demonstration of the feasibility of a two-stage gasification process through construction of several plants. The gas from this process...... could be divided into two streams, one for primary and one for supplementary firing. A preliminary analysis of the ideal, recuperated Brayton cycle shows that for this cycle any supplementary firing will have a marginal efficiency of unity per extra unit of fuel. The same result is obtained...

  19. Analytical chemistry challenges at the back end of fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panja, S.; Dhami, P.S.; Gandhi, P.M.

    2015-01-01

    Among the various nuclear fuel cycle activities, spent fuel reprocessing and nuclear waste management play key role for adaptation of closed fuel cycle option and success of three stage Indian nuclear power programme. Reprocessing mainly aims to recover fissile and fertile component from spent fuel using well known PUREX/THOREX processes. Waste management deals with all the activities which are essential for safe management of radioactive wastes that get generated during entire nuclear fuel cycle operation

  20. Expression of progesterone receptor membrane component-1 in bovine reproductive system during estrous cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.M. Luciano

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Several reports suggest the participation of progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1 in progesterone signaling in the reproductive system. This study aimed at investigating the presence and localization of PGRMC1 in bovine ovary, oviduct and uterus, during the follicular and luteal phases of the estrous cycle. In the ovary, PGRMC1 has been detected in surface germinal epithelium, granulosa cells, theca cells and in the germinal vesicle of the oocytesat all stages of folliculogenesis. In the corpus luteum the expression of PGRMC1 was influenced by the stage of the estrous cycle. In the oviducts and in the uterus horns, PGRMC1 was immunolocalized in the luminal epithelium, in the muscle layer cells and in the endothelial cells. In the uterus, PGRMC1 was intensely localized also in the glandular endometrium. However, in the oviducts and in the uterus horns, the localization of PGRMC1 was independent on the stage of the estrous cycle and on whether evaluating the ipsilateral or the contralateral organ. In conclusion, the present immunohistochemical study showed that PGRMC1 is located in various compartments of the bovine female reproductive organs. With the exception of the corpora lutea, PGRMC1 localization showed similar pattern during different stage of the estrous cycle.

  1. Contribution of Heavy Water Board in nuclear fuel cycle technologies. Contributed Paper IT-03

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohanty, P.R.

    2014-01-01

    The three stage Indian nuclear power programme envisages use of closed nuclear fuel cycle and thorium utilization as its mainstay for long term energy security on sustainable basis. India is committed to realize this objective through the development and deployment of frontier technologies pertaining to all aspects of a closed nuclear fuel cycle. Comprehensive indigenous capabilities have been developed in all aspects of nuclear power and associated fuel cycles. Heavy Water Board (HWB), with its abiding objective of fulfilling demand of heavy water for India's flourishing nuclear power program, is one of the frontrunner in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Technology. HWB is now engaged in wide spectrum of activities in various facets of fuel cycle covering all the three stages of Indian Nuclear Power Programme. HWB is contributing to Nuclear Fuel Cycle through large scale production and sustained supply of key input materials including heavy water, solvents for nuclear hydrometallurgy, 10 B enriched boron etc

  2. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF ROAD TRANSPORT IN A PASSENGER CAR USING THE LIFE CYCLE APPROACH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piotr FOLĘGA

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Environmental issues are an increasingly important aspect of management in the transport sector; new methods have been developed for assessment of the environment in the transport sector using the life cycle approach. The paper presents the application of Well to Wheel (WTW and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA in the transport sector. The WTW method focuses on energy analysis and greenhouse gas emissions during the life cycle of fuels. WTW is used to support decision-making on the environmental aspects of transport, particularly with regard to fuel life cycle management, but this method omits important stages in the life cycle, particularly the ones regarding important circular economy guidelines such as reduction of natural resource consumption, impact on human health, etc. The LCA method provides a much broader approach to environmental assessment than WTW. LCA takes into consideration environmental impact in the whole life cycle of the vehicle, from the stage of production, through the period of exploitation, and finally its disposal.

  3. Estrogen-dependent expression of sine oculis homeobox 1 in the mouse uterus during the estrous cycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bae, Sijeong [Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13488 (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Hwang [Fertility Center of CHA Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13496 (Korea, Republic of); Yoon, Hyemin [Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13488 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Miseon [Fertility Center of CHA Gangnam Medical Center, Seoul 06135 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hye-Ryun; Song, Haengseok [Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13488 (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Kwonho, E-mail: kwonho.hong@dankook.ac.kr [Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 PLUS NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do 31116 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Youngsok, E-mail: youngsokchoi@cha.ac.kr [Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13488 (Korea, Republic of); Fertility Center of CHA Gangnam Medical Center, Seoul 06135 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-04-08

    The sine oculis homeobox 1 (SIX1) is a member of the Six gene family. SIX1 is involved in tissue development by regulating proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. However, function of SIX1 in the uterus remains unknown. Here, we found that Six1 expression is regulated along the estrous cycle in mouse uterus. Six1 expression was significantly increased at estrus stage and decreased at the rest of stages. SIX1 is detected in the luminal and glandular epithelium of uterine endometrium at the estrus stage. Estrogen injection increased Six1 expression in the ovariectomized mouse uterus, whereas progesterone had no effect on its expression. Estrogen receptor antagonist inhibited estrogen-induced Six1 expression. Our findings imply that SIX1 may play a role as an important regulator to orchestrate the dynamic of uterine endometrium in response to estrogen level during the estrous cycle. These results will give us a better understanding of uterine biology. - Highlights: • Six1 expression is regulated during the estrous cycle in mouse uterus. • Six1 is highly expressed at the estrus stage of estrous cycle. • SIX1 is detected in luminal/glandular epithelium of the uterus at the estrus stage. • Estrogen stimulates Six1 expression in an estrogen receptor-dependent manner.

  4. Comparative Glycoproteome Analysis: Dynamics of Protein Glycosylation during Metamorphic Transition from Pelagic to Benthic Life Stages in Three Invertebrates

    KAUST Repository

    Chandramouli, Kondethimmanahalli; Zhang, Yu; Wong, Yue Him; Qian, Pei Yuan

    2012-01-01

    The life cycle of most benthic marine invertebrates has two distinct stages: the pelagic larval stage and the sessile juvenile stage. The transition between the larval stage and the juvenile stage is often abrupt and may be triggered by post

  5. Stepwise evolution of fuel assembly design toward a sustainable fuel cycle with hard neutron spectrum light water reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uchikawa, Sadao; Okubo, Tsutomu; Nakano, Yoshihiro

    2011-01-01

    An advanced LWR with hard neutron spectrum, FLWR, aims at efficient and flexible utilization of nuclear resources by evolving its fuel assembly design keeping the same core configuration. A proposed evolution process of the design toward a sustainable fuel cycle is composed of three stages, the first one based on the LWR fuel cycle infrastructures, the second one for transitioning from the LWR fuel cycle to the FR fuel cycle, and the third one based on the FR fuel cycle infrastructures. For the first stage, a fuel assembly design concept named FLWR/MIX has been developed in which enriched UO 2 fuel rods are arranged in the peripheral region of the assembly, surrounding the MOX fuel rods in the central region. The FLWR/MIX design realizes a breeder type operation under the framework of the LWR-MOX technologies and there experience. A modified FLWR/MIX design with low Pu inventory for the second stage has a potential of high Puf conversion ratio of 1.1 and can contribute to smooth and speedy transition from the LWR fuel cycle to the FR fuel cycle. For the third stage, the FLWR/MIX design is extended into a design with natural UO 2 fuel rods to realize multiple Pu recycling keeping a Puf conversion ratio of around 1.0. (author)

  6. The effect of inorganic and organic form of zinc on digestibility of nutrients in dairy cows in three stages of reproductive cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie Balabánová

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of our experiment was to compare the effect of feeding inorganic and organic forms of zinc in premix on the coefficient of digestibility of nutrients in the feeding ration for cows in three stages of reproductive cycle – 14 d before calving and 30 and 60 d after calving. The experiment was carried out on 19 Holstein cows that were divided into two groups. A control group of nine cows designated as “Inorganic zinc form” (IZF was fed a diet supplemented with mineral premix containing inorganic form of zinc (ZnO. An experimental group of ten cows designated as “Organic zinc form” (OZF had zinc oxide replaced with zinc fixed to methionine (Khei-chelate Zn powder 15% by Kheiron. The experiment was divided into three periods - the first period lasted from 14th day before calving until 2nd day after calving, the second period lasted from 3rd day to 30th day after calving and the third period lasted from 31st day to 60th day after calving. Cows were fed the diet based on maize silage, lucerne haylage, sugar beet pulp silage, grass or lucerne hay and concentrate containing premix with either inorganic or organic zinc form. During the experiment samples of feeding ration and faeces were taken in 3 intervals, it si on 14th day before calving, on 30th day and on 60th day after calving to determine nutrients content. Digestibility of nutrients was calculated using indicator method (ash insoluble in 3 M HCl.After feeding organic forms of zinc a tendency to higher digestibility of crude protein, fat, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extracts, ash and zinc was observed in cows regardless of stage of reproductive cycle. The digestibility of the zinc and fiber were the most increased. Digestibility of zinc in OZF on 14th day before calving was higher than in IZF (P < 0.05. Feeding of organic zinc forms had downward effect only on the digestibility of copper.

  7. Sustainable Building Life Cycle Design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ginzburg Alexander

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The current building life cycle management system in the Russian Federation is a family of discrete subsystems that exist independently for different building life cycle stages. In this situation building reliability and sustainable functioning are out of the question. The implementation of a united information model (BIM-model intended to describe building entire life cycle will allow to raise the sustainability, but this will happen only if goals and concerns of all participants of the project process are properly coordinated. An important figure of process sustainability is the organizational and technological reliability (OTR that describes the possibility of a system to reach a goal. In case of building life cycle design, the economical efficiency of a building can be considered as the goal. The required technical, ecological, organizational, and other parameters form a complex of constraints that determine the area of allowable values for building functioning. In its broad meaning, OTR may be understood as the probability of receiving an economical effect based on the value of organizational and economical reliability (OER.

  8. Cell cycle gene expression under clinorotation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artemenko, Olga

    2016-07-01

    Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) are main regulators of the cell cycle of eukaryotes. It's assumes a significant change of their level in cells under microgravity conditions and by other physical factors actions. The clinorotation use enables to determine the influence of gravity on simulated events in the cell during the cell cycle - exit from the state of quiet stage and promotion presynthetic phase (G1) and DNA synthesis phase (S) of the cell cycle. For the clinorotation effect study on cell proliferation activity is the necessary studies of molecular mechanisms of cell cycle regulation and development of plants under altered gravity condition. The activity of cyclin D, which is responsible for the events of the cell cycle in presynthetic phase can be controlled by the action of endogenous as well as exogenous factors, but clinorotation is one of the factors that influence on genes expression that regulate the cell cycle.These data can be used as a model for further research of cyclin - CDK complex for study of molecular mechanisms regulation of growth and proliferation. In this investigation we tried to summarize and analyze known literature and own data we obtained relatively the main regulators of the cell cycle in altered gravity condition.

  9. Technical comparison between Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) power plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ortiz, Pablo Andres Silva; Venturini, Osvaldo Jose; Lora, Electo Eduardo Silva [Federal University of Itajuba - UNIFEI, MG (Brazil). Excellence Group in Thermal Power and Distributed Generation - NEST], e-mails: osvaldo@unifei.edu.br, electo@unifei.edu.br

    2010-07-01

    Among the emerging clean coal technologies for power generation, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) and Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) systems are receiving considerable attention as a potentially attractive option to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). The main reason is because these systems has high efficiency and low emissions in comparison with traditional power generation plants. Currently in IGCC and NGCC systems at demonstration stage is been considered to implement CCS technology. CO{sub 2} emissions can be avoided in a gasification-based power plant because by transferring almost all carbon compounds to CO{sub 2} through the water gas shift (WGS) reaction, then removing the CO{sub 2} before it is diluted in the combustion stage. The aim of this study is to compare the technical performance of an IGCC system that uses Brazilian coal and petroleum coke as fuel with a NGCC system, with the same fixed output power of 450 MW. The first section of this paper presents the plant configurations of IGCC systems. The following section presents an analysis of NGCC technology. (author)

  10. Brucella abortus Cell Cycle and Infection Are Coordinated.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Bolle, Xavier; Crosson, Sean; Matroule, Jean-Yves; Letesson, Jean-Jacques

    2015-12-01

    Brucellae are facultative intracellular pathogens. The recent development of methods and genetically engineered strains allowed the description of cell-cycle progression of Brucella abortus, including unipolar growth and the ordered initiation of chromosomal replication. B. abortus cell-cycle progression is coordinated with intracellular trafficking in the endosomal compartments. Bacteria are first blocked at the G1 stage, growth and chromosome replication being resumed shortly before reaching the intracellular proliferation compartment. The control mechanisms of cell cycle are similar to those reported for the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, and they are crucial for survival in the host cell. The development of single-cell analyses could also be applied to other bacterial pathogens to investigate their cell-cycle progression during infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Determining the stages of tillering stage, initiation of primordia, flowering and maturity in the rice plant, with the system S, V and R correlated with the thermal sum at the time

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Velázquez

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Temperature is one of the major climatic factors that affect growth, development and yield of the rice crop, and also can reduce the time of change of phenological stages. The beginning stages of tillering, initiation of primordia, flowering and harvest maturity were determined with the S, V and R system recently proposed by Counce et ál. (2000; it consists on counting the number of fully developed leaves; in addition, a correlation was made with accumulated degree days that the plant had at that time, in order to estimate with how many degree days the plant began a phenological stage; this parameter is related to the average daily temperature and a base temperature of 10ºC. For the start of tillering the plant needed 140.9 degree days; for primordium start, 1268.9; for bloom 1746; and completed its cycle with a total of 2333.2 degree days. This allows to conclude that, for a variety of long cycle (130-135 days, when the accumulation of degree days is equal or similar to the previous data, the plant initiates one of the above-mentioned phenological stages; however, each one of the varieties in use by farmers must be calibrated, because there are differences in crop cycle length among them.

  12. Fuel cycle assessment: A compendium of models, methodologies, and approaches

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1994-07-01

    The purpose of this document is to profile analytical tools and methods which could be used in a total fuel cycle analysis. The information in this document provides a significant step towards: (1) Characterizing the stages of the fuel cycle. (2) Identifying relevant impacts which can feasibly be evaluated quantitatively or qualitatively. (3) Identifying and reviewing other activities that have been conducted to perform a fuel cycle assessment or some component thereof. (4) Reviewing the successes/deficiencies and opportunities/constraints of previous activities. (5) Identifying methods and modeling techniques/tools that are available, tested and could be used for a fuel cycle assessment.

  13. Life Cycle Environmental Impact of Onshore and Offshore Wind Farms in Texas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesuina Chipindula

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available The last decade witnessed a quantum increase in wind energy contribution to the U.S. renewable electricity mix. Although the overall environmental impact of wind energy is miniscule in comparison to fossil-fuel energy, the early stages of the wind energy life cycle have potential for a higher environmental impact. This study attempts to quantify the relative contribution of individual stages toward life cycle impacts by conducting a life cycle assessment with SimaPro® and the Impact 2002+ impact assessment method. A comparative analysis of individual stages at three locations, onshore, shallow-water, and deep-water, in Texas and the gulf coast indicates that material extraction/processing would be the dominant stage with an average impact contribution of 72% for onshore, 58% for shallow-water, and 82% for deep-water across the 15 midpoint impact categories. The payback times for CO2 and energy consumption range from 6 to 14 and 6 to 17 months, respectively, with onshore farms having shorter payback times. The greenhouse gas emissions (GHG were in the range of 5–7 gCO2eq/kWh for the onshore location, 6–9 CO2eq/kWh for the shallow-water location, and 6–8 CO2eq/kWh for the deep-water location. A sensitivity analysis of the material extraction/processing stage to the electricity sourcing stage indicates that replacement of lignite coal with natural gas or wind would lead to marginal improvements in midpoint impact categories.

  14. Investment Opportunity, Institutional Ownership, Cash Flow, Company Life Cycle Terhadap Kebijakan Dividen Dan Return Saham

    OpenAIRE

    Wiagustini, Ni Luh Putu

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this research was to examine and to analyze the infl uences of investmentopportunity, cash fl ow, company institutional ownership, and company life cycle stages to dividendpolicy; and the infl uences of dividend policy to investment opportunity, cash fl ow, institutionalownership, and company life cycle stages to share return. The samples used in this research weremanufacturing companies registered at Indonesia Stock Exchange (ISX), who paid dividend regularlywithin the perio...

  15. Psychosocial Implications of Usher Syndrome, Type I, throughout the Life Cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miner, I. D.

    1995-01-01

    Usher syndrome, Type I, requires multiple adaptations throughout the life cycle because each stage of life has tasks and losses associated with deafness and progressive retinitis pigmentosa. This article examines the issues raised at each stage, using clinical vignettes from persons who have this condition and their families. (Author/DB)

  16. Effects of pH on the life cycle of the midge Tanytansus dissimilis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bell, H L

    1970-01-01

    All stages of the life cycle of the midge Tanytarsus (paratanytarsus) dissimilis joh. were subjected to low pH and the exremes of tolerance were determined. The life cycle could not be completed below a pH of 5.5.

  17. Comprehensive glycoprofiling of the epimastigote and trypomastigote stages of Trypanosoma cruzi

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alves, Maria Julia Manso; Kawahara, Rebeca; Viner, Rosa

    2017-01-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan that causes Chagas disease, has a complex life cycle involving insect and mammalian hosts and distinct developmental stages. During T. cruzi developmental stages, glycoproteins play important role in the host-parasite interaction, such as cellular recognition, host...... the significant T. cruzi stage-specific expression of glycoproteins that can help to better understand the T. cruzi phenotype and response caused by the interaction with different hosts during its complex life cycle. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Chagas disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi is a neglected...... disease which affects millions of people especially in Latin America. The absence of efficient drugs and vaccines against Chagas disease stimulates the search for novel targets. Glycoproteins are very attractive therapeutic candidate targets since they mediate key processes in the host...

  18. Effect of the nasal cycle on congestive response during bilateral nasal allergen provocation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomasz Gotlib

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background. Bilateral nasal allergen provocation usually produces more pronounced obstruction of one nasal passage. It was found that this could be related to the stage of the nasal cycle before the provocation. objective. To discover whether the stage of the nasal cycle is decisive for asymmetry in congestive response observed during bilateral allergen nasal provocation. methods. Two bilateral nasal allergen provocations were performed in a group of 26 pollen-sensitive volunteers. Acoustic rhinometry measurements were taken during the nasal cycle, and then after the provocation. A cross-sectional area at the level of the inferior turbinate (CSA-2 was measured. Consecutive challenges were performed in the opposite phase of the nasal cycle: the side which had been wide just before the first challenge, was narrow before the second provocation. results. Asymmetry in CSA-2 reduction between the nasal passages was observed in most cases. Significant difference was observed between mean CSA-2 reduction rate (reactivity of the side that responded with greater congestion, and the opposite side. No significant difference was found in mean CSA-2 reduction rate between the side which was narrow, and the side which was wide before provocation. conclusions. Asymmetry of congestive response during bilateral nasal allergen provocation is not dependent on the stage of the nasal cycle preceding the challenge.

  19. Critical review of nuclear fuel cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuster, N.

    1996-01-01

    Transmutation of long-lived radionuclides is considered as an alternative to the in-depth disposal of spent nuclear fuel, in particular, on the final stage of the nuclear fuel cycle. The majority of conclusions is the result of the common work of the Karlsruhe FZK and the Commissariat on nuclear energy of France (CEA)

  20. Nuclear Localization of Mitochondrial TCA Cycle Enzymes as a Critical Step in Mammalian Zygotic Genome Activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagaraj, Raghavendra; Sharpley, Mark S; Chi, Fangtao; Braas, Daniel; Zhou, Yonggang; Kim, Rachel; Clark, Amander T; Banerjee, Utpal

    2017-01-12

    Transcriptional control requires epigenetic changes directed by mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites. In the mouse embryo, global epigenetic changes occur during zygotic genome activation (ZGA) at the 2-cell stage. Pyruvate is essential for development beyond this stage, which is at odds with the low activity of mitochondria in this period. We now show that a number of enzymatically active mitochondrial enzymes associated with the TCA cycle are essential for epigenetic remodeling and are transiently and partially localized to the nucleus. Pyruvate is essential for this nuclear localization, and a failure of TCA cycle enzymes to enter the nucleus correlates with loss of specific histone modifications and a block in ZGA. At later stages, however, these enzymes are exclusively mitochondrial. In humans, the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase is transiently nuclear at the 4/8-cell stage coincident with timing of human embryonic genome activation, suggesting a conserved metabolic control mechanism underlying early pre-implantation development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Reconversion of nuclear weapons

    CERN Document Server

    Kapitza, Sergei P

    1992-01-01

    The nuclear predicament or nuclear option. Synopsis of three lectures : 1- The physical basis of nuclear technology. Physics of fission. Chain reaction in reactors and weapons. Fission fragments. Separration of isotopes. Radiochemistry.2- Nuclear reactors with slow and fast neutrons. Power, size, fuel and waste. Plutonium production. Dose rate, shielding and health hazard. The lessons of Chernobyl3- Nuclear weapons. Types, energy, blast and fallout. Fusion and hydrogen bombs. What to do with nuclear weapons when you cannot use them? Testing. Nonmilittary use. Can we get rid of the nuclear weapon? Nuclear proliferation. Is there a nuclear future?

  2. The nuclear fuel cycle is complete

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hildenbrand, G.

    1984-01-01

    The nuclear fuel cycle in the Federal Republic of Germany has a firm base. Its entry stages, natural uranium, conversion, enrichment, and fuel fabrication, have not only been put on solid grounds in terms of supplies, but have also attained a high degree of technical maturity and a high quality level. Further efforts are being devoted to cost reductions. Especially higher burnups and the recycling of plutonium in the form of MOX fuel assemblies in light water reactors must be mentioned under this heading. In the field of back end fuel cycle steps, the important sector of interim storage has now found a practical solution, which is also fully sufficient with respect to capacity. The project of a German reprocessing plant has now entered its decisive stage with the filling of the licensing applications and the awarding of the planning contracts. The study on alternative waste management techniques entitled ''Direct Final Storage'' is about to be concluded, and a work on the exploration and development of a repository proceeds on schedule. (orig.) [de

  3. Sensitivity study on nitrogen Brayton cycle coupled with a small ultra-long cycle fast reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seo, Seok Bin; Seo, Han; Bang, In Cheol

    2014-01-01

    The main characteristics of UCFR are constant neutron flux and power density. They move their positions every moment at constant speed along with axial position of fuel rod for 60 years. Simultaneously with the development of the reactors, a new power conversion system has been considered. To solve existing issues of vigorous sodium-water reaction in SFR with steam power cycle, many researchers suggested a closed Brayton cycle as an alternative technique for SFR power conversion system. Many inactive gases are selected as a working fluid in Brayton power cycle, mainly supercritical CO 2 (S-CO 2 ). However, S-CO 2 still has potential for reaction with sodium. CO 2 -sodium reaction produces solid product, which has possibility to have an auto ignition reaction around 600 .deg. C. Thus, instead of S-CO 2 , CEA in France has developed nitrogen power cycle for ASTRID (Advanced Sodium Technological Reactor for Industrial Demonstration). In addition to inactive characteristic of nitrogen with sodium, its thermal and physical similarity with air enables to easily adopt to existing air Brayton cycle technology. In this study, for an optimized power conversion system for UCFR, a nitrogen Brayton cycle was analyzed in thermodynamic aspect. Based on subchannel analysis data of UCFR-100, a parametric study for thermal performance of nitrogen Brayton cycle was achieved. The system maximum pressure significantly affects to the overall efficiency of cycle, while other parameters show little effects. Little differences of the overall efficiencies for all cases between three stages (BOC, MOC, EOC) indicate that the power cycle of UCFR-100 maintains its performance during the operation

  4. Non-proliferation and safeguards aspects of alternative fuel cycle concepts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Persiani, P.J.

    1997-01-01

    Timely visibility on the development, evaluation and optimization of fuel cycle concepts with respect to nonproliferation characteristics should be emphasized in the early stage of planning a civilian nuclear power program, by fuel cycle developers, reviewers and decision makers. Fuel cycle technologies have inherently differing levels of nonproliferation characteristic profiles. Institutional and/or multi-national arrangements have been effective in reducing the nonproliferation concerns. The implementation of international safeguards further reduces these concerns by the timely detection of a possible physical diversion of SNM from fuel cycle facilities. Fuel cycles are safeguardable, but the nonproliferation characteristics of fuel cycle concepts differ significantly with consequent impacts on the international level of technical safeguards measures. The paper comments on characteristics of some of the fuel cycle concepts for the purpose of exploring the need to develop advanced nonproliferation and safeguards measures. (author)

  5. Identification of acoustic emission sources in early stages of fatigue process of Inconel 713LC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bartkova, Denisa; Vlasic, Frantisek; Mazal, Pavel [Brno Univ. of Technology, Brno (Czech Republic). Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

    2014-11-01

    Inconel 713LC is low carbon variant of Inconel 713 nickel-based cast alloy. The biggest advantage of these alloys is their ability to resist a wide variety of operating conditions (corrosive environment, high temperature, high stresses). Main area of applications is aircraft, energetic, chemical and petrochemical industry etc. In many applications, components undergo cyclic stresses. This study presents results of acoustic emission response of Inconel 713LC during high-cycle fatigue testing. In comparison with low-cycle fatigue, stage of initiation of micro cracks is in high-cycle region much more significant and can take several tens of percent of whole fatigue life. This work is focused on comparison of selected parameters of acoustic emission signal in pre-initiation and initiation stage of fatigue crack creation. Signal data were specified by linear location technique, hence only signal from shallow notch was analysed. Acoustic emission signal was correlated with frequency of load reversals which is a function of specimen's rigidity (modulus). Acoustic emission hits with higher stress were detected in pre-initiation stage whereas initiation stage hits exhibited low stress. Acoustic emission signal measurements are supplemented by fractographic and metallographic analysis.

  6. The right place for the right job in the photovoltaic life cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawajiri, Kotaro; Genchi, Yutaka

    2012-07-03

    The potential for photovoltaic power generation (PV) to reduce primary energy consumption (PEC) and CO(2) emissions depends on the physical locations of each stage of its life cycle. When stages are optimally located, CO(2) emissions are reduced nearly ten times as much as when each stage is located in the country having the largest current market share. The usage stage contributes the most to reducing CO(2) emissions and PEC, and total CO(2) emissions actually increase when PV is installed in countries having small CO(2) emissions from electricity generation. Global maps of CO(2) reduction potential indicate that Botswana and Gobi in Mongolia are the optimal locations to install PV due to favorable conditions for PV power generation and high CO(2) emissions from current electricity generation. However, the small electricity demand in those countries limits the contribution to global CO(2) reduction. The type of PVs has a small but significant effect on life cycle PEC and CO(2) emissions.

  7. Variations in the Life Cycle of Anemone patens L. (Ranunculaceae in Wild Populations of Canada

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir Kricsfalusy

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Based on a study of a perennial herb Anemone patens L. (Ranunculaceae in a variety of natural habitats in Saskatchewan, Canada, eight life stages (seed, seedling, juvenile, immature, vegetative, generative, subsenile, and senile are distinguished and characterized in detail. The species ontogenetic growth patterns are investigated. A. patens has a long life cycle that may last for several decades which leads to the formation of compact clumps. The distribution and age of clumps vary substantially in different environments with different levels of disturbance. The plant ontogeny includes the regular cycle with reproduction occurring through seeds. There is an optional subsenile vegetative disintegration at the end of the life span. The following variations in the life cycle of A. patens are identified: with slower development in young age, with an accelerated development, with omission of the generative stage, with retrogression to previous life stages in mature age, and with vegetative dormancy. The range of variations in the life cycle of A. patens may play an important role in maintaining population stability in different environmental conditions and management regimes.

  8. Key events and their effects on cycling behaviour in Dar-es-Salaam : abstract + powerpoint

    OpenAIRE

    Nkurunziza, A.; Zuidgeest, M.H.P.; Brussel, M.J.G.; van Maarseveen, M.F.A.M.

    2012-01-01

    The paper explores key events and investigates their effects on cycling behaviour in the city of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. The objective of the study is to identify specific key events during a person’s life course with a significant effect on change of travel behaviour towards cycling in relation to stage of change. Stage of change is a key construct of the transtheoretical model of behaviour change that defines behavioural readiness (intentions and actions) into six distinct categories (i.e....

  9. Transcriptomic analysis reveals metabolic switches and surface remodeling as key processes for stage transition in Trypanosoma cruzi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luisa Berná

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available American trypanosomiasis is a chronic and endemic disease which affects millions of people. Trypanosoma cruzi, its causative agent, has a life cycle that involves complex morphological and functional transitions, as well as a variety of environmental conditions. This requires a tight regulation of gene expression, which is achieved mainly by post-transcriptional regulation. In this work we conducted an RNAseq analysis of the three major life cycle stages of T. cruzi: amastigotes, epimastigotes and trypomastigotes. This analysis allowed us to delineate specific transcriptomic profiling for each stage, and also to identify those biological processes of major relevance in each state. Stage specific expression profiling evidenced the plasticity of T. cruzi to adapt quickly to different conditions, with particular focus on membrane remodeling and metabolic shifts along the life cycle. Epimastigotes, which replicate in the gut of insect vectors, showed higher expression of genes related to energy metabolism, mainly Krebs cycle, respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation related genes, and anabolism related genes associated to nucleotide and steroid biosynthesis; also, a general down-regulation of surface glycoprotein coding genes was seen at this stage. Trypomastigotes, living extracellularly in the bloodstream of mammals, express a plethora of surface proteins and signaling genes involved in invasion and evasion of immune response. Amastigotes mostly express membrane transporters and genes involved in regulation of cell cycle, and also express a specific subset of surface glycoprotein coding genes. In addition, these results allowed us to improve the annotation of the Dm28c genome, identifying new ORFs and set the stage for construction of networks of co-expression, which can give clues about coded proteins of unknown functions.

  10. Interim PET After Two ABVD Cycles in Early-Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma: Outcomes Following the Continuation of Chemotherapy Plus Radiotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Simontacchi, Gabriele [Radiotherapy Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, University of Florence, Florence (Italy); Filippi, Andrea Riccardo, E-mail: andreariccardo.filippi@unito.it [Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino (Italy); Ciammella, Patrizia [Radiation Oncology Unit, Department of Advanced Technology, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Reggio Emilia (Italy); Buglione, Michela [Radiation Oncology Department, University and Spedali Civili, Brescia (Italy); Saieva, Calogero [Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Research and Prevention Institute, Florence (Italy); Magrini, Stefano Maria [Radiation Oncology Department, University and Spedali Civili, Brescia (Italy); Livi, Lorenzo [Radiotherapy Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, University of Florence, Florence (Italy); Iotti, Cinzia [Radiation Oncology Unit, Department of Advanced Technology, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Reggio Emilia (Italy); Botto, Barbara [Hematology Unit, Città della Salute e della Scienza Hospital, Torino (Italy); Vaggelli, Luca [Nuclear Medicine Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, University of Florence, Florence (Italy); Re, Alessandro [Hematology Unit, University and Spedali Civili, Brescia (Italy); Merli, Francesco [Hematology Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Reggio Emilia (Italy); Ricardi, Umberto [Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Torino (Italy)

    2015-08-01

    Purpose: This multicenter retrospective study was designed to evaluate the prognostic role of interim fluorodeoxyglucose-labeled positron emission tomography (i-FDG-PET) in a cohort of patients affected with early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treated initially with adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy, and to assess the role of chemotherapy continuation plus radiation therapy for i-FDG-PET-positive patients. Methods and Materials: Data from 257 patients were retrieved from 4 hematology and radiation oncology departments. Inclusion criteria were stage I to IIAB HL, “intention-to-treat” AVBD plus radiation therapy, and FDG-PET at diagnosis and after the first 2 ABVD cycles. All i-FDG-PET scans underwent blinded local review by using the Deauville 5-point scoring system; patients were stratified as negative or positive using 2 Deauville score cutoff values, ≥3 or ≥4. Results: Median follow-up time was 56 months (range: 9-163 months); 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) for the whole cohort were 97.5% and 98.3%, respectively. Five-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 95.6%. After i-FDG-PET revision, 43 of 257 patients (16.7%) had a positive i-FDG-PET (Deauville scores: 3-5). Five-year PFS rates for i-FDG-PET-negative and i-FDG-PET-positive patients were 98.1% and 83.7%, respectively, if using a Deauville score cutoff of 3, and 97.7% and 78.6%, respectively, if using a cutoff of 4 (P=.0001). Five-year OS for i-FDG-PET-negative and i-FDG-PET-positive patients was 98.5% and 93.0%, respectively, if using a cutoff of 3, and 98.6% and 89.3%, respectively, if using a cutoff of 4 (P=.029 and P=.002). At univariate regression analysis, i-FDG-PET positivity was associated with worse OS and PFS. At multivariate analysis, performed only for PFS, i-FDG-PET positivity confirmed its negative impact (P=.002). Conclusions: i-FDG-PET is prognostic for PFS and OS in early-stage HL

  11. Interim PET After Two ABVD Cycles in Early-Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma: Outcomes Following the Continuation of Chemotherapy Plus Radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simontacchi, Gabriele; Filippi, Andrea Riccardo; Ciammella, Patrizia; Buglione, Michela; Saieva, Calogero; Magrini, Stefano Maria; Livi, Lorenzo; Iotti, Cinzia; Botto, Barbara; Vaggelli, Luca; Re, Alessandro; Merli, Francesco; Ricardi, Umberto

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This multicenter retrospective study was designed to evaluate the prognostic role of interim fluorodeoxyglucose-labeled positron emission tomography (i-FDG-PET) in a cohort of patients affected with early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treated initially with adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy, and to assess the role of chemotherapy continuation plus radiation therapy for i-FDG-PET-positive patients. Methods and Materials: Data from 257 patients were retrieved from 4 hematology and radiation oncology departments. Inclusion criteria were stage I to IIAB HL, “intention-to-treat” AVBD plus radiation therapy, and FDG-PET at diagnosis and after the first 2 ABVD cycles. All i-FDG-PET scans underwent blinded local review by using the Deauville 5-point scoring system; patients were stratified as negative or positive using 2 Deauville score cutoff values, ≥3 or ≥4. Results: Median follow-up time was 56 months (range: 9-163 months); 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) for the whole cohort were 97.5% and 98.3%, respectively. Five-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 95.6%. After i-FDG-PET revision, 43 of 257 patients (16.7%) had a positive i-FDG-PET (Deauville scores: 3-5). Five-year PFS rates for i-FDG-PET-negative and i-FDG-PET-positive patients were 98.1% and 83.7%, respectively, if using a Deauville score cutoff of 3, and 97.7% and 78.6%, respectively, if using a cutoff of 4 (P=.0001). Five-year OS for i-FDG-PET-negative and i-FDG-PET-positive patients was 98.5% and 93.0%, respectively, if using a cutoff of 3, and 98.6% and 89.3%, respectively, if using a cutoff of 4 (P=.029 and P=.002). At univariate regression analysis, i-FDG-PET positivity was associated with worse OS and PFS. At multivariate analysis, performed only for PFS, i-FDG-PET positivity confirmed its negative impact (P=.002). Conclusions: i-FDG-PET is prognostic for PFS and OS in early-stage HL

  12. Combined Turbine and Cycle Optimization for Organic Rankine Cycle Power Systems—Part B: Application on a Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angelo La Seta

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Organic Rankine cycle (ORC power systems have recently emerged as promising solutions for waste heat recovery in low- and medium-size power plants. Their performance and economic feasibility strongly depend on the expander. The design process and efficiency estimation are particularly challenging due to the peculiar physical properties of the working fluid and the gas-dynamic phenomena occurring in the machine. Unlike steam Rankine and Brayton engines, organic Rankine cycle expanders combine small enthalpy drops with large expansion ratios. These features yield turbine designs with few highly-loaded stages in supersonic flow regimes. Part A of this two-part paper has presented the implementation and validation of the simulation tool TURAX, which provides the optimal preliminary design of single-stage axial-flow turbines. The authors have also presented a sensitivity analysis on the decision variables affecting the turbine design. Part B of this two-part paper presents the first application of a design method where the thermodynamic cycle optimization is combined with calculations of the maximum expander performance using the mean-line design tool described in part A. The high computational cost of the turbine optimization is tackled by building a model which gives the optimal preliminary design of an axial-flow turbine as a function of the cycle conditions. This allows for estimating the optimal expander performance for each operating condition of interest. The test case is the preliminary design of an organic Rankine cycle turbogenerator to increase the overall energy efficiency of an offshore platform. For an increase in expander pressure ratio from 10 to 35, the results indicate up to 10% point reduction in expander performance. This corresponds to a relative reduction in net power output of 8.3% compared to the case when the turbine efficiency is assumed to be 80%. This work also demonstrates that this approach can support the plant designer

  13. Energy landscape reveals that the budding yeast cell cycle is a robust and adaptive multi-stage process.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng Lv

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Quantitatively understanding the robustness, adaptivity and efficiency of cell cycle dynamics under the influence of noise is a fundamental but difficult question to answer for most eukaryotic organisms. Using a simplified budding yeast cell cycle model perturbed by intrinsic noise, we systematically explore these issues from an energy landscape point of view by constructing an energy landscape for the considered system based on large deviation theory. Analysis shows that the cell cycle trajectory is sharply confined by the ambient energy barrier, and the landscape along this trajectory exhibits a generally flat shape. We explain the evolution of the system on this flat path by incorporating its non-gradient nature. Furthermore, we illustrate how this global landscape changes in response to external signals, observing a nice transformation of the landscapes as the excitable system approaches a limit cycle system when nutrients are sufficient, as well as the formation of additional energy wells when the DNA replication checkpoint is activated. By taking into account the finite volume effect, we find additional pits along the flat cycle path in the landscape associated with the checkpoint mechanism of the cell cycle. The difference between the landscapes induced by intrinsic and extrinsic noise is also discussed. In our opinion, this meticulous structure of the energy landscape for our simplified model is of general interest to other cell cycle dynamics, and the proposed methods can be applied to study similar biological systems.

  14. Unravelling Orbital Climatic Cycles from Devonian Magnetic Susceptibility Signal - The Quest for a Better Age Model for the Lochkovian and Pragian Stages (Czech Republic)

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silva, A. C.; Chadimova, L.; Hladil, J.; Slavik, L.; Hilgen, F. J.; Dekkers, M. J.

    2015-12-01

    The uncertainties on the Devonian stage boundaries are currently in the order of several millions of years. When shown to reflect a detrital signal, which is influenced by climatic variations, Magnetic Susceptibility (MS) has been proven as a useful tool for identifying climatic cycles; which can subsequently be used to improve the time scale. Here, we focus on two sections from the Prague Synform (Czech Republic) cutting through the Lochkovian, Pragian and the lower part of the Emsian. Sedimentation is rhythmic, dominated by slightly clayey offshore limestones, being mostly calciturbidites and hemipelagites. We provide hysteresis analysis in order to get insight into the nature and the origin of the magnetic minerals driving the variation in the MS signal. The results point to a MS signal mostly carried by clay minerals. Subsequently, to improve estimation of the duration of the stages, we apply different spectral analysis techniques on this MS signal. From the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT), Evolutive Harmonic Analysis (EHA) and field observations, we subdivide the section into portions with a steady sedimentation rate (a first estimate of this rate is also delivered by these analyzes). Then, we apply Multitaper Method (MTM) and Multitaper harmonic Analysis (F-test) and extract the frequencies reaching 95% Confidence Level. These frequencies are then implemented into the Average Spectral Misfit procedures (ASM) which enables comparison with orbital targets. By combining these different techniques, 405 kyr cyclicty is identifed, a powerful duration paleochronometer. These new results indicate a duration of 7.7 ± 2 Myr for the Lochkovian stage and of 1.7 Myr ± 1.4 for the Pragian stage (compared to respectively 8.4 ± 6 Myr and 3.2 ± 5.4 Myr in the 2012 Geological Time Scale).

  15. Power conversion systems based on Brayton cycles for fusion reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linares, J.I.; Herranz, L.E.; Moratilla, B.Y.; Serrano, I.P.

    2011-01-01

    This paper investigates Brayton power cycles for fusion reactors. Two working fluids have been explored: helium in classical configurations and CO 2 in recompression layouts (Feher cycle). Typical recuperator arrangements in both cycles have been strongly constrained by low temperature of some of the energy thermal sources from the reactor. This limitation has been overcome in two ways: with a combined architecture and with dual cycles. Combined architecture couples the Brayton cycle with a Rankine one capable of taking advantage of the thermal energy content of the working fluid after exiting the turbine stage (iso-butane and steam fitted best the conditions of the He and CO 2 cycles, respectively). Dual cycles set a specific Rankine cycle to exploit the lowest quality thermal energy source, allowing usual recuperator arrangements in the Brayton cycle. The results of the analyses indicate that dual cycles could reach thermal efficiencies around 42.8% when using helium, whereas thermal performance might be even better (46.7%), if a combined CO 2 -H 2 O cycle was set.

  16. Applying Movement Ecology to Marine Animals with Complex Life Cycles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Richard M.; Metaxas, Anna; Snelgrove, Paul V. R.

    2018-01-01

    Marine animals with complex life cycles may move passively or actively for fertilization, dispersal, predator avoidance, resource acquisition, and migration, and over scales from micrometers to thousands of kilometers. This diversity has catalyzed idiosyncratic and unfocused research, creating unsound paradigms regarding the role of movement in ecology and evolution. The emerging movement ecology paradigm offers a framework to consolidate movement research independent of taxon, life-history stage, scale, or discipline. This review applies the framework to movement among life-history stages in marine animals with complex life cycles to consolidate marine movement research and offer insights for scientists working in aquatic and terrestrial realms. Irrespective of data collection or simulation strategy, breaking each life-history stage down into the fundamental units of movement allows each unit to be studied independently or interactively with other units. Understanding these underlying mechanisms of movement within each life-history stage can then be used to construct lifetime movement paths. These paths can allow further investigation of the relative contributions and interdependencies of steps and phases across a lifetime and how these paths influence larger research topics, such as population-level movements.

  17. Examination by magnetic resonance in the diagnosis and treatment of multiple myeloma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nekula, J.; Scudla, V.; Bacovsky, J.

    1998-01-01

    A group of 41 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM) was subjected to MR examination of the lumbar and thoracic spine. Pathological MR changes in the initial stage of MM were found in 88%, whereas in simple images the finding was only positive in 8%. T1 v.o. changes in sagittal planes are most important from the diagnostic point of view. Paraspinal or epidural propagation in 11 patients was a finding of fundamental importance, serving as indication for radiotherapy or surgical intervention. In 16 patients in remission, signs of complete lipid reconstruction of bone marrow were found 11 times, reconversion or mixed changes were observed twice. (author)

  18. Lys48 ubiquitination during the intraerythrocytic cycle of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-López, Lorena; Carballar-Lejarazú, Rebeca; Arrevillaga Boni, Gerardo; Cortés-Martínez, Leticia; Cázares-Raga, Febe Elena; Trujillo-Ocampo, Abel; Rodríguez, Mario H; James, Anthony A; Hernández-Hernández, Fidel de la Cruz

    2017-01-01

    Ubiquitination tags proteins for different functions within the cell. One of the most abundant and studied ubiquitin modification is the Lys48 polyubiquitin chain that modifies proteins for their destruction by proteasome. In Plasmodium is proposed that post-translational regulation is fundamental for parasite development during its complex life-cycle; thus, the objective of this work was to analyze the ubiquitination during Plasmodium chabaudi intraerythrocytic stages. Ubiquitinated proteins were detected during intraerythrocytic stages of Plasmodium chabaudi by immunofluorescent microscopy, bidimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) combined with immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. All the studied stages presented protein ubiquitination and Lys48 polyubiquitination with more abundance during the schizont stage. Three ubiquitinated proteins were identified for rings, five for trophozoites and twenty for schizonts. Only proteins detected with a specific anti- Lys48 polyubiquitin antibody were selected for Mass Spectrometry analysis and two of these identified proteins were selected in order to detect the specific amino acid residues where ubiquitin is placed. Ubiquitinated proteins during the ring and trophozoite stages were related with the invasion process and in schizont proteins were related with nucleic acid metabolism, glycolysis and protein biosynthesis. Most of the ubiquitin detection was during the schizont stage and the Lys48 polyubiquitination during this stage was related to proteins that are expected to be abundant during the trophozoite stage. The evidence that these Lys48 polyubiquitinated proteins are tagged for destruction by the proteasome complex suggests that this type of post-translational modification is important in the regulation of protein abundance during the life-cycle and may also contribute to the parasite cell-cycle progression.

  19. Biomass fueled closed cycle gas turbine with water injection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bardi, Silvia [Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden). Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Technology

    2001-01-01

    Direct water injection has been studied for a small scale ({approx} 8 MW fuel input) closed cycle gas turbine coupled to a biomass fueled CFB furnace. Two different working fluids have been considered (helium-water mixture and nitrogen-water mixture). The water injection could take place between the compressor stages, as an intercooler, or after the high pressure compressor, as an aftercooler. Both this options have been studied, varying the relative humidity levels after the injection and the temperatures of the injected water. The effect of water injection on thermodynamic properties of the working fluids has been studied, together with its effect on turbomachinery isentropic efficiency. A sensitivity analysis on turbomachinery efficiency and cycle base pressure has been included. The results from this study have been compared to the performance of a dry closed cycle without water injection. The wet cycle shows an electric efficiency in the range 29-32% with helium-water mixture as working fluid and 30-32% with nitrogen-water mixture as working fluid, while the total efficiency (referring to the fuel LHV) is always higher than 100%. In the non-injected cycle the electric efficiency is 30-35% with helium and 32-36 with nitrogen. The total efficiency in the dry case with two level intercooling and postcooling is 87-89%, while is higher than 100% when only one stage inter- and postcooling is present. Aside from this, the study also includes a sizing of the heat exchangers for the different cycle variations. The heat transfer area is very sensible to the working fluid and to the amount of injected water and it's always higher when a nitrogen-water mixture is used. Compared to the cycle without water injection, by the way, the number of heat exchangers is reduced. This will lead to a lower pressure drop and a simpler plant layout. The total heat transfer area, however, is higher in the wet cycle than in the dry cycle.

  20. Investigation on an innovative cascading cycle for power and refrigeration cogeneration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang, Long; Lu, Huitong; Wang, Ruzhu; Wang, Liwei; Gong, Lixia; Lu, Yiji; Roskilly, Anthony Paul

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A novel cascading cycle for power and refrigeration cogeneration is proposed and investigated. • Pumpless ORC and sorption refrigeration cycle act as the first and second stage. • The highest power and refrigeration output are able to reach 232 W and 4.94 kW, respectively. • The exergy efficiency of heat utilization ranges from 30.1% to 41.8%. - Abstract: In order to further realize efficient utilization of low grade heat, an innovative cascading cycle for power and refrigeration cogeneration is proposed. Pumpless Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) acts as the first stage, and the refrigerant R245fa is selected as the working fluid. Sorption refrigeration cycle serves as the second stage in which silica-gel/LiCl composite sorbent is developed for the improved sorption characteristic. The concerning experimental system is established, and different hot water inlet temperatures from 75 °C to 95 °C are adopted to investigate the cogeneration performance. It is indicated that the highest power and refrigeration output are able to reach 232 W and 4.94 kW, respectively under the condition of 95 °C hot water inlet temperature, 25 °C cooling water temperature and 10 °C chilled water outlet temperature. For different working conditions, the total energy and exergy efficiency of the cascading system range from 0.236 to 0.277 and 0.101 to 0.132, respectively. For cascading system the exergy efficiency of heat utilization ranges from 30.1% to 41.8%, which is 144% and 60% higher than that of pumpless ORC and sorption chiller when the hot water inlet temperature is 95 °C.

  1. Optimising the refrigeration cycle with a two-stage centrifugal compressor and a flash intercooler

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roeyttae, Pekka; Turunen-Saaresti, Teemu; Honkatukia, Juha [Lappeenranta University of Technology, Laboratory of Energy and Environmental Technology, PO Box 20, 53851 Lappeenranta (Finland)

    2009-09-15

    The optimisation of a refrigeration process with a two-stage centrifugal compressor and flash intercooler is presented in this paper. The two-stage centrifugal compressor stages are on the same shaft and the electric motor is cooled with the refrigerant. The performance of the centrifugal compressor is evaluated based on semi-empirical specific-speed curves and the effect of the Reynolds number, surface roughness and tip clearance have also been taken into account. The thermodynamic and transport properties of the working fluids are modelled with a real-gas model. The condensing and evaporation temperatures, the temperature after the flash intercooler, and cooling power have been chosen as fixed values in the process. The aim is to gain a maximum coefficient of performance (COP). The method of optimisation, the operation of the compressor and flash intercooler, and the method for estimating the electric motor cooling are also discussed in the article. (author)

  2. Maturity Gonad Sea Cucumber Holothuria scabra Under The Month Cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penina Tua Rahantoknam, Santi

    2017-10-01

    Gonad maturity level of the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra is important to note for selection of parent ready spawn. Sea cucumbers are giving a reaction to the treatment of excitatory spawn mature individuals only. For the determination of the level of maturity of gonads of sea cucumbers, the necessary observation of the gonads are microscopic, macroscopic and gonad maturity gonado somatic indeks (GSI). GSI value is important to know the changes that occur in the gonads quantitatively, so that time can be presumed spawning (Effendie, 1997). Reproductive cycle can be determined by observing the evolution of GSI. The study of sea cucumbers Holothuria scabra gonad maturity conducted in Langgur, Southeast Maluku. Observations were made at every cycle of the moon is the full moon phase (BP) and new moon (BB) in the period January 29, 2017 until July 23, 2017. Observations H. scabra gonad maturity level is done with surgery, observation and calculation GSI gonad histology. GSI highest value obtained in May that full moon cycle at 90% of individuals that are in the spawning stage (phase 5), then 70% of the individuals that are in the spawning stage (phase 5) in March that the full moon cycle. The results obtained show that the peak spawning H. scabra period January 2017 to July 2017 occurred on the full moon cycle in May.

  3. Assessment of the environmental impacts deriving from the life cycle of a typical solar water heater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Gaidajis

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available According to life cycle thinking, the environmental burden deriving from different life cycle stages of a product or a system, such as manufacturing, transportation, maintenance and landfilling should be taken into consideration while assessing its environmental performance. In that aspect, the environmental impacts deriving from the life cycle of a typical solar water heater (SWH in Greece are analyzed and assessed with the application of relative life cycle assessment (LCA software in this study. In order to examine various impact categories such as global warming, ozone layer depletion, ecotoxicity and so forth, the IMPACT2002+ method is applied. The aim of this study is to examine the life cycle stages, processes and materials that significantly affect the system under examination and to provide a discussion regarding the environmental friendliness of solar water heaters.

  4. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation and Real Options

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Havlíček

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The first part of this paper describes the nuclear fuel cycle. It is divided into three parts. The first part, called Front-End, covers all activities connected with fuel procurement and fabrication. The middle part of the cycle includes fuel reload design activities and the operation of the fuel in the reactor. Back-End comprises all activities ensuring safe separation of spent fuel and radioactive waste from the environment. The individual stages of the fuel cycle are strongly interrelated. Overall economic optimization is very difficult. Generally, NPV is used for an economic evaluation in the nuclear fuel cycle. However the high volatility of uranium prices in the Front-End, and the large uncertainty of both economic and technical parameters in the Back-End, make the use of NPV difficult. The real option method is able to evaluate the value added by flexibility of decision making by a company under conditions of uncertainty. The possibility of applying this method to the nuclear fuel cycle evaluation is studied. 

  5. Safe and effective nuclear power plant life cycle management towards decommissioning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2002-08-01

    The objective of this publication is to promote and communicate the need for a longer-term perspective among senior managers and policy or strategy makers for decisions that have the potential to affect the life cycle management of a nuclear power plant including decommissioning. The following sections provide practical guidance in the subject areas that might have the potential to have such an impact. The publication should be used as an aid to help strategic planning take place in an informed way through the proper consideration of any longer-term decisions to enforce recognition of the point that decommissioning is a part of the whole life cycle of a nuclear power plant. The guidance contained in this publication is relevant to all life cycle stages of a nuclear power plant, with particular emphasis on how these decisions have the potential to impact effective decommissioning. The intended users of this publication are: Strategic decision makers within a Utility through all the various life cycle stages; The senior representatives of the owners of a nuclear power plant. This publication is divided into two basic sections. Section 2 provides guidance on the topics considered generic inputs to plant life cycle management and Section 3 provides guidance on the topics that contribute to effective decommissioning

  6. Staged regenerative sorption heat pump

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Jack A. (Inventor)

    1995-01-01

    A regenerative adsorbent heat pump process and system for cooling and heating a space. A sorbent is confined in a plurality of compressors of which at least four are first stage and at least four are second stage. The first stage operates over a first pressure region and the second stage over a second pressure region which is higher than the first. Sorbate from the first stage enters the second stage. The sorbate loop includes a condenser, expansion valve, evaporator and the compressors. A single sorbate loop can be employed for single-temperature-control such as air conditioning and heating. Two sorbate loops can be used for two-temperature-control as in a refrigerator and freezer. The evaporator temperatures control the freezer and refrigerator temperatures. Alternatively the refrigerator temperature can be cooled by the freezer with one sorbate loop. A heat transfer fluid is circulated in a closed loop which includes a radiator and the compressors. Low temperature heat is exhausted by the radiator. High temperature heat is added to the heat transfer fluid entering the compressors which are desorbing vapor. Heat is transferred from compressors which are sorbing vapor to the heat transfer fluid, and from the heat transfer fluid to the compressors which are desorbing vapor. Each compressor is subjected to the following phases, heating to its highest temperature, cooling down from its highest temperature, cooling to its lowest temperature, and warming up from its lowest temperature. The phases are repeated to complete a cycle and regenerate heat.

  7. Towards a Life Cycle Based Chemical Alternative Assessment (LCAA)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jolliet, O.; Huang, L.; Overcash, Michael

    2017-01-01

    approach combines the following elements: a) The manufacturing phase chemical inventory is based on the environmental genome of industrial products database, ensuring mass and energy balance, b) near-field exposure to consumer products during the use phase is determined based on the mass of chemical......There is a need for an operational quantitative screening-level assessment of alternatives, that is life-cycle based and able to serve both Life cycle Assessment (LCA and chemical alternatives assessment (CAA). This presentation therefore aims to develop and illustrate a new approach called “Life...... Cycle Based Chemical Alternative Assessment (LCAA)” that will quantify exposure and life cycle impacts consistently and efficiently over the main life cycle stages. The new LCAA approach is illustrated though a proof-of-concept case study of alternative plasticizers in vinyl flooring. The proposed LCAA...

  8. Prueba del software: más que una fase en el ciclo de vida/Software testing: more than a stage in the life cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edgar Serna

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available La prueba de software es probablemente la parte menos comprendida del ciclo de vida del desarrollo de software. En este trabajo, mediante una propuesta metodológica de cuatro fases, se muestra por qué es difícil detectar y eliminar errores, por qué es complejo el proceso de realizar pruebas y por qué es necesario prestarle más atención.Software testing probably is the least understood part of the software testing life cycle. In this work, by means of a methodological proposal of four stages, is showed why is complex the process of carrying out the testing software, why is necessary to pay it more attention and why is so difficult to detect and delete the mistakes.

  9. Factors threatening the survival of independent financial advisers in their organisational life cycle: an exploratory study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Estelle van Tonder

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available This study investigates various threats to the survival of independent financial advisers in their organisational life cycle.  Telephone interviews were conducted to gain more insight into the demographic data of the respondents and to attempt to group them into life cycle stages.  Personal interviews were conducted to investigate the respondents' problems.  The contribution of this study is twofold:  First, general life cycle stages applicable to the businesses of independent financial advisers were determined.  Secondly, the study identified the important problems as well as those that ought to be consideration in the advisers' businesses.  The findings could be of assistance to independent financial advisers in analysing both their current business position and their planning for future requirements as the business develops from one stage to the next.

  10. Theory of Cycles of M. I. Tugan-Baranovsky: View from the XXI Century

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nureev Rustem, M.

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The paper is devoted to the theory of cycles of M. I. Tugan-Baranovsky, the scientific premises for the concept’s formation, the main stages of its development and the historical fate of Tugan-Baranovsky’s doctrine and its role in the advancement of the idea of long-wave economic dynamics. In the first phase (from 1847 to 1894, scientists have tried to figure out the causes of economic crises. The concepts of S. J. Loyd, W. S. Jevons, C. Juglar, E. Laveleye, S. Sismondi, K. Marx and F. Engels are investigated. The second stage (from 1894 to 1919 is linked with the name of M. I. Tugan-Baranovsky. Three lifetime editions of his master's thesis are analyzed, the relationship between simple commodity production and capitalist economy is shown. The advantages and disadvantages of the reproduction schemes of M. I. Tugan-Baranowsky, as well as the reasons for the success of his theory of cycles are described. The third stage (from 1922 in the development of the cycle theory is associated with the name of N. D. Kondratiev who was the student of M. I. Tugan-Baranovsky. He created the theory of long-wave cycles conditions. The paper details the contribution of Joseph A. Schumpeter, who tried to link the short-term, medium-term and long-term fluctuations in market conditions. In 1910-1940 years the questions of understanding the nature of innovation, their role in the development of society and the link between innovation and long conjuncture cycles come to the fore. The period 1940-1970 characterized by increasing the role of macro-economic analysis in the study of the cycles theory. The present time is characterized by the cycle theories which can be described as the alternative approach: institutionalism, evolutionary economics, management (innovation management.

  11. EEG activity during estral cycle in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corsi-Cabrera, M; Juárez, J; Ponce-de-León, M; Ramos, J; Velázquez, P N

    1992-10-01

    EEG activity was recorded from right and left parietal cortex in adult female rats daily during 6 days. Immediately after EEG recording vaginal smears were taken and were microscopically analyzed to determine the estral stage. Absolute and relative powers and interhemispheric correlation of EEG activity were calculated and compared between estral stages. Interhemispheric correlation was significantly lower during diestrous as compared to proestrous and estrous. Absolute and relative powers did not show significant differences between estral stages. Absolute powers of alpha1, alpha2, beta1 and beta2 bands were significantly higher at the right parietal cortex. Comparisons of the same EEG records with estral stages randomly grouped showed no significant differences for any of the EEG parameters. EEG activity is a sensitive tool to study functional changes related to the estral cycle.

  12. Four cycles of adriamycin and cyclophosphamide followed by four cycles of docetaxel (NSABP-B27 with concomitant trastuzumab as neoadjuvant therapy for high-risk, early-stage, HER2-positive breast cancer patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdel-Razeq H

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Hikmat Abdel-Razeq,1,2 Salwa S Saadeh,1 Mahmoud Abu-Nasser,1 Hazem Abdulelah,1 Lina Marie,1 Murad Salam,1 Basel Al-Haj Ali,1 Mohammad Ibrahim,1 Dalia Rimawi3 1Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan; 2School of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; 3Office of Scientific Affairs and Research, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan Background: The majority of breast cancer patients in Jordan are diagnosed at a young age and present with metastatic or locally advanced disease. The National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project Protocol B27 (NSABP-B27 (four cycles of adriamycin and cyclophosphamide [AC] followed by four cycles of docetaxel is a standard neoadjuvant regimen in our institution. In this study, we report the efficacy of adding trastuzumab to docetaxel in this regimen for high-risk human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2-positive early-stage disease. Patients and methods: Consecutive HER2-positive breast cancer patients treated with this regimen were included. Treatment was given at standard doses and schedules as reported in NSABP-B27. Trastuzumab was given with docetaxel and then continued for 1 year. Results: A total of 121 patients (mean age 45.4 years were included. The majority had high-risk features including large tumor size, positive axillary lymph nodes, and grade III disease. Three patients did not complete the planned cycles of AC due to a lack of response. Eight (6.6% patients missed at least one cycle of docetaxel. Following neoadjuvant therapy, 119 patients underwent surgery, of whom 59 (49.6% patients achieved pathological complete response. The response was higher in node-negative patients (64.0 vs 45.7%; P=0.03 and in hormone receptor-negative disease patients (69.7 vs 41.9%; P=0.018. Breast-conserving surgery was performed in 21.5% of the patients. The median disease-free survival (DFS for the whole group was not

  13. CORE COMPETENCIES AND PHASES OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE CYCLE

    OpenAIRE

    Ahmed, Selma Zone Fekih; Koubaa, Manel Belguith

    2013-01-01

    Organizations evolve according to well-defined phases during which it must raise some competencies more than others. This study discusses the importance of core competencies according to the phases of the life cycle of the organization. In this research, we mobilize the core competencies approach to explore the competence required at each stage of the organizational life cycle. The quantitative study of 50 Tunisian companies operating in the food sector shows that the importance of core ...

  14. Eléments d’une démarche d’accompagnement à la maturation des projets collectifs d’irrigation localisée

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Zeine

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Au Maroc, les subventions accordées par l’Etat constituent une forte incitation pour que les agriculteurs installent l’irrigation localisée. Cependant le rythme de reconversion est faible dans les périmètres de petite et moyenne hydraulique. Bien que la pertinence d’une reconversion collective des exploitations dans ces périmètres soit souvent reconnue, les superficies converties restent limitées. Malgré quelques tentatives dans le cadre d’expériences pilotes, il n’y a pas de démarche stabilisée d’accompagnement par les institutions de développement d’une telle reconversion collective. Le présent article propose des éléments pour une démarche d’accompagnement à la maturation des projets collectifs à l’irrigation localisée. Cette démarche a été conçue à partir de l’analyse a posteriori de plusieurs expériences de reconversion collective à l’irrigation localisée au Maroc. Cette démarche s’appuie sur l’utilisation d’une grille qui permet de diagnostiquer l’état initial de maturation du projet, mais aussi de suivre l’évolution de cette maturation. L’évaluation de ce niveau de maturation se fait suivant une liste de facteurs qualifiés d’essentiels, d’accélération et de stabilisation. Sont aussi proposés quelques principes et étapes qui pourraient structurer un accompagnement de ces projets.

  15. Histone deacetylases play a major role in the transcriptional regulation of the Plasmodium falciparum life cycle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balbir K Chaal

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The apparent paucity of molecular factors of transcriptional control in the genomes of Plasmodium parasites raises many questions about the mechanisms of life cycle regulation in these malaria parasites. Epigenetic regulation has been suggested to play a major role in the stage specific gene expression during the Plasmodium life cycle. To address some of these questions, we analyzed global transcriptional responses of Plasmodium falciparum to a potent inhibitor of histone deacetylase activities (HDAC. The inhibitor apicidin induced profound transcriptional changes in multiple stages of the P. falciparum intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC that were characterized by rapid activation and repression of a large percentage of the genome. A major component of this response was induction of genes that are otherwise suppressed during that particular stage of the IDC or specific for the exo-erythrocytic stages. In the schizont stage, apicidin induced hyperacetylation of histone lysine residues H3K9, H4K8 and the tetra-acetyl H4 (H4Ac4 and demethylation of H3K4me3. Interestingly, we observed overlapping patterns of chromosomal distributions between H4K8Ac and H3K4me3 and between H3K9Ac and H4Ac4. There was a significant but partial association between the apicidin-induced gene expression and histone modifications, which included a number of stage specific transcription factors. Taken together, inhibition of HDAC activities leads to dramatic de-regulation of the IDC transcriptional cascade, which is a result of both disruption of histone modifications and up-regulation of stage specific transcription factors. These findings suggest an important role of histone modification and chromatin remodeling in transcriptional regulation of the Plasmodium life cycle. This also emphasizes the potential of P. falciparum HDACs as drug targets for malaria chemotherapy.

  16. Histone deacetylases play a major role in the transcriptional regulation of the Plasmodium falciparum life cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaal, Balbir K; Gupta, Archna P; Wastuwidyaningtyas, Brigitta D; Luah, Yen-Hoon; Bozdech, Zbynek

    2010-01-22

    The apparent paucity of molecular factors of transcriptional control in the genomes of Plasmodium parasites raises many questions about the mechanisms of life cycle regulation in these malaria parasites. Epigenetic regulation has been suggested to play a major role in the stage specific gene expression during the Plasmodium life cycle. To address some of these questions, we analyzed global transcriptional responses of Plasmodium falciparum to a potent inhibitor of histone deacetylase activities (HDAC). The inhibitor apicidin induced profound transcriptional changes in multiple stages of the P. falciparum intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC) that were characterized by rapid activation and repression of a large percentage of the genome. A major component of this response was induction of genes that are otherwise suppressed during that particular stage of the IDC or specific for the exo-erythrocytic stages. In the schizont stage, apicidin induced hyperacetylation of histone lysine residues H3K9, H4K8 and the tetra-acetyl H4 (H4Ac4) and demethylation of H3K4me3. Interestingly, we observed overlapping patterns of chromosomal distributions between H4K8Ac and H3K4me3 and between H3K9Ac and H4Ac4. There was a significant but partial association between the apicidin-induced gene expression and histone modifications, which included a number of stage specific transcription factors. Taken together, inhibition of HDAC activities leads to dramatic de-regulation of the IDC transcriptional cascade, which is a result of both disruption of histone modifications and up-regulation of stage specific transcription factors. These findings suggest an important role of histone modification and chromatin remodeling in transcriptional regulation of the Plasmodium life cycle. This also emphasizes the potential of P. falciparum HDACs as drug targets for malaria chemotherapy.

  17. Maturation arrest of human oocytes at germinal vesicle stage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhi Qin Chen

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Maturation arrest of human oocytes may occur at various stages of the cell cycle. A total failure of human oocytes to complete meiosis is rarely observed during assisted conception cycles. We describe here a case of infertile couples for whom all oocytes repeatedly failed to mature at germinal vesicle (GV stage during in vitro fertilization/Intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI. The patient underwent controlled ovarian stimulation followed by oocyte retrieval and IVF/ICSI. The oocytes were stripped off cumulus cells prior to the ICSI procedure and their maturity status was defined. The oocyte maturation was repeatedly arrested at the GV. Oocyte maturation arrest may be the cause of infertility in this couple. The recognition of oocyte maturation arrest as a specific medical condition may contribute to the characterization of the currently known as "oocyte factor." The cellular and genetic mechanisms causing oocyte maturation arrest should be the subject for further investigation.

  18. The Life Cycle of the Child Care Center -- Understanding Center Growth and Development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bess, Gary; Ratekin, Cindy

    2001-01-01

    Identifies the seven stages of the life cycle for child care centers: entrepreneurial; development; formalization; maturity; stagnation; death; and renewal. Suggests that critical transition points exist for organizational development, and that, if they are aware of and understand each stage of development, administrators may intervene at those…

  19. Investigation into life-cycle costing as a comparative analysis approach of energy systems

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Mokheseng, B

    2010-08-31

    Full Text Available selection based on a simple payback period. Due to life-cycle stages, often the real costs of the project or equipment, either to the decision maker or the cost bearer, are not reflected by the upfront capital costs. In this paper, the life-cycle costing...

  20. Life cycle assessment of energy consumption and environmental emissions for cornstalk-based ethyl levulinate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Zhiwei; Li, Zaifeng; Lei, Tingzhou; Yang, Miao; Qi, Tian; Lin, Lu; Xin, Xiaofei; Ajayebi, Atta; Yang, Yantao; He, Xiaofeng; Yan, Xiaoyu

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • The first LCA of cornstalk-based ethyl levulinate. • Life cycle energy consumption and environmental emissions were evaluated. • Detailed foreground data from a demonstration project in China was used. • Criteria emissions in the combustion stage were based on engine tests. • Sensitivity analysis was performed based on different cornstalk prices. - Abstract: This study analysed the sustainability of fuel-ethyl levulinate (EL) production along with furfural, as a by-product, from cornstalk in China. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using the SimaPro software to evaluate the energy consumption (EC), greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria emissions, from cornstalk growth to EL utilisation. The total life cycle EC was found to be 4.54 MJ/MJ EL, of which 94.7% was biomass energy. EC in the EL production stage was the highest, accounting for 96.8% of total EC. Fossil EC in this stage was estimated to be 0.095 MJ/MJ, which also represents the highest fossil EC throughout the life cycle (39.5% of the total). The ratio of biomass to fossil EC over the life cycle was 17.9, indicating good utilisation of renewable energy in cornstalk-based EL production. The net life cycle GHG emissions were 96.6 g CO_2-eq/MJ. The EL production stage demonstrated the highest GHG emissions, representing 53.4% of the total positive amount. Criteria emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulates ⩽10 μm (PM10) showed negative values, of −3.15 and −0.72 g/MJ, respectively. Nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and sulphur dioxide (SO_2) emissions showed positive values of 0.33 and 0.28 g/MJ, respectively, mainly arising from the EL production stage. According to the sensitivity analysis, increasing or removing the cornstalk revenue in the LCA leads to an increase or decrease in the EC and environmental emissions while burning cornstalk directly in the field results in large increases in emissions of NMVOC, CO, NO_x and PM10 but decreases in fossil EC, and SO_2 and GHG

  1. Study of the morphology exhibited by linear segmented polyurethanes during shape memory cycles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereira, I.M.; Orefice, R.L.

    2009-01-01

    By using small-angle X-ray, this study aims to identify the role of the morphological structures of linear segmented thermoplastic polyurethane during shape memory cycle. A deformed specimen was placed on a heating stage mounted at the beamline; the shape recovery was measured during 20min. Furthermore, to study the influence of the temperature during recover, the specimens were subjected to different thermo-cycle. In each condition, the phase morphology and composition were investigated. Recovery process was separated into three stages. Bulk incompatibility and entropic recovery were the two controlling features for determining the final polyurethane morphology. (author)

  2. Report on studies on closed cycle MHD power generation; Closed cycle MHD hatsuden kento hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1991-04-01

    Summarized herein are results of the studies on closed cycle MHD (CCMHD) power generation by the study committee. The studied system is based on the MHD gas turbine combined Brayton cycle of about 500,000 kW in output power, firing natural gas as the fuel, and the conceptual design works therefor are completed. The major findings are: the overall plant efficiency: 54.2% at the power transmission side, plot area required per unit power output: 0.04 m{sup 2}/KW, unit construction cost: 251,000 yen/KW, and unit power generation cost: 10.2 yen/KWh. This system will be more operable than the gas turbine combined cycle with steam system, because start-up time, output change rate, optimum load and so on are constrained not on the power generator side but on the gas turbine side. The expected environmental effects include the exhaust gas NOX concentration being equivalent with that associated with the conventional power generator of 2-stage combustion system, quantity of combustion gases to be treated being approximately 40% of that associated with the gas turbine combined cycle, and reduced CO2 gas emissions, resulting from enhanced power generation efficiency. It is expected that the CCMHD system can exhibit higher efficiency than the high-temperature gas turbine combined cycle system. (NEDO)

  3. BEST-4, Fuel Cycle and Cost Optimization for Discrete Power Levels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1973-01-01

    1 - Nature of physical problem solved: Determination of optimal power strategy for a fuel cycle, for discrete power levels and n temporal stages, taking into account replacement energy costs and de-rating. 2 - Method of solution: Dynamic programming. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: Restrictions may arise from number of power levels and temporal stages, due to machine limitations

  4. Research Technology (ASTP) Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-01-01

    Pictured is an artist's concept of the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) launch. The RBCC's overall objective is to provide a technology test bed to investigate critical technologies associated with opperational usage of these engines. The program will focus on near term technologies that can be leveraged to ultimately serve as the near term basis for Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) air breathing propulsions systems and ultimately a Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) air breathing propulsion system.

  5. Numerical optimization of Combined Heat and Power Organic Rankine Cycles – Part A: Design optimization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martelli, Emanuele; Capra, Federico; Consonni, Stefano

    2015-01-01

    This two-part paper proposes an approach based on state-of-the-art numerical optimization methods for simultaneously determining the most profitable design and part-load operation of Combined Heat and Power Organic Rankine Cycles. Compared to the usual design practice, the important advantages of the proposed approach are (i) to consider the part-load performance of the ORC at the design stage, (ii) to optimize not only the cycle variables, but also the main turbine design variables (number of stages, stage loads, rotational speed). In this first part (Part A), the design model and the optimization algorithm are presented and tested on a real-world test case. PGS-COM, a recently proposed hybrid derivative-free algorithm, allows to efficiently tackle the challenging non-smooth black-box problem. - Highlights: • Algorithm for the simultaneous optimization Organic Rakine Cycle and turbine. • Thermodynamic and economic models of boiler, cycle, turbine are developed. • Non-smooth black-box optimization problem is successfully tackled with PGS-COM. • Test cases show that the algorithm returns optimal solutions within 4 min. • Toluene outperforms MDM (a siloxane) in terms of efficiency and costs.

  6. Life cycle and nano-products: end-of-life assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asmatulu, Eylem; Twomey, Janet; Overcash, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Understanding environmental impacts of nanomaterials necessitates analyzing the life cycle profile. The initial emphasis of nanomaterial life cycle studies has been on the environmental and health effects of nanoproducts during the production and usage stages. Analyzing the end-of-life (eol) stage of nanomaterials is also critical because significant impacts or benefits for the environment may arise at that particular stage. In this article, the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) Consumer Products Inventory (CPI) model was used, which contains a relatively large and complete nanoproduct list (1,014) as of 2010. The consumer products have wide range of applications, such as clothing, sports goods, personal care products, medicine, as well as contributing to faster cars and planes, more powerful computers and satellites, better micro and nanochips, and long-lasting batteries. In order to understand the eol cycle concept, we allocated 1,014 nanoproducts into the nine end-of-life categories (e.g., recyclability, ingestion, absorption by skin/public sewer, public sewer, burning/landfill, landfill, air release, air release/public sewer, and other) based on probable final destinations of the nanoproducts. This article highlights the results of this preliminary assessment of end-of-life stage of nanoproducts. The largest potential eol fate was found to be recyclability, however little literature appears to have evolved around nanoproduct recycling. At lower frequency is dermal and ingestion human uptake and then landfill. Release to water and air are much lower potential eol fates for current nanoproducts. In addition, an analysis of nano-product categories with the largest number of products listed indicated that clothes, followed by dermal-related products and then sports equipment were the most represented in the PEN CPI (http

  7. Life cycle and nano-products: end-of-life assessment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Asmatulu, Eylem; Twomey, Janet; Overcash, Michael, E-mail: mrovercash@earthlink.net [Wichita State University, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (United States)

    2012-03-15

    Understanding environmental impacts of nanomaterials necessitates analyzing the life cycle profile. The initial emphasis of nanomaterial life cycle studies has been on the environmental and health effects of nanoproducts during the production and usage stages. Analyzing the end-of-life (eol) stage of nanomaterials is also critical because significant impacts or benefits for the environment may arise at that particular stage. In this article, the Woodrow Wilson Center's Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) Consumer Products Inventory (CPI) model was used, which contains a relatively large and complete nanoproduct list (1,014) as of 2010. The consumer products have wide range of applications, such as clothing, sports goods, personal care products, medicine, as well as contributing to faster cars and planes, more powerful computers and satellites, better micro and nanochips, and long-lasting batteries. In order to understand the eol cycle concept, we allocated 1,014 nanoproducts into the nine end-of-life categories (e.g., recyclability, ingestion, absorption by skin/public sewer, public sewer, burning/landfill, landfill, air release, air release/public sewer, and other) based on probable final destinations of the nanoproducts. This article highlights the results of this preliminary assessment of end-of-life stage of nanoproducts. The largest potential eol fate was found to be recyclability, however little literature appears to have evolved around nanoproduct recycling. At lower frequency is dermal and ingestion human uptake and then landfill. Release to water and air are much lower potential eol fates for current nanoproducts. In addition, an analysis of nano-product categories with the largest number of products listed indicated that clothes, followed by dermal-related products and then sports equipment were the most represented in the PEN CPI (http

  8. Simplified nuclear fuel reprocessing flowsheet: a single-cycle Purex process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montuir, M.; Dinh, B.; Baron, P.

    2004-01-01

    A simplified flowsheet with only one purification cycle instead of three is proposed for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel using the Purex process. A single-cycle flowsheet minimizes the process equipment required, the number of control points before transfer between process units, and the solvent and effluent quantities. For the uranium stream, an alpha barrier is used to strip any residual contaminants (Np, Th, Pu) from the uranium-loaded solvent. This additional step eliminates the need for a second uranium cycle. For the plutonium stream, an additional βγ co-decontamination step and a higher plutonium concentration are required before the oxalate conversion step; a plutonium 'half-cycle' is added downstream. The unloaded solvent from this half-cycle is returned to the selective plutonium stripping step, allowing significant plutonium half-cycle losses. It should be possible to reduce the number of stages in the half-cycle extraction step by recycling the raffinate to the upstream separation process. (authors)

  9. Role of ecdysteroids in the molting and reproductive cycles of the white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chan, S.M.

    1989-01-01

    The molt cycle was characterized in the white shrimp Penaeus vannamei based upon changes in the morphology of pleopod setae. These characters were used subsequently to determine changes in ecdysteroids and related biosynthetic events during the stages of the molting cycle and in relation to reproduction. Ecdysteroid titers were measured during the molting cycle. They increased during the premolt, decreased at ecdysis and remained minimal through the intermolt. 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-OHE) was the major ecdysteroid present during the premolt. Injection of [ 3 H]ecdysone resulted in label accumulation in the epidermis and hepatopancreas in the form of 20-OHE which was subsequently hydroxylated further to a polar metabolite. [ 3 H]ecdysone was not metabolized by the Y-organ, hemolymph, muscle or intestine. Eyestalk ablation elevated hemolymph ecdysteroid titers and reduced the duration of all molt stages. However, 20-OHE injection into intact animals caused a disproportionate reduction in the durations of only the intermolt and early premolt stages

  10. Mathematical model of the reformer sponge iron cycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fraser, S.; Hacker, V.; Evers, B.; Hierzer, J.; Besenhard, J.O. [Graz University of Technology, Graz (Austria). Inst. for Chemical Technology of Inorganic Materials Christian Doppler Pilot-Lab. for Fuel Cell Systems

    2003-07-01

    An innovative hydrogen production process called the Reformer Sponge Iron Cycle (RESC), based on redox reactions of iron ore pellets, was mathematically modeled. The hydrogen is produced by blowing steam over hot iron pellets in the oxidation stage, resulting in the oxidation of the iron. Synthesis gas coming from a reformer mixed with a fraction of recycled off-gas was used to reduce the iron oxide pellets (wuestite and-or magnetite) in the reduction stage, leading once more to iron . Once the mathematical model was developed, it was verified utilizing experimental data. Based on calculations of the equilibrium gas concentrations for reformer and sponge iron reactor (SIR), the model computes mass fluxes, molar fluxes, partial pressures, and variations of them throughout the complete cycle. The recycle rate, which determines the fraction of SIR off-gas recycled and added to the input gas stream, was optimized to maximize the amount of iron oxide reduced for a certain input gas flow. 5 refs., 4 figs.

  11. Uranium Enrichment, an overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coates, J.H.

    1994-01-01

    This general presentation on uranium enrichment will be followed by lectures on more specific topics including descriptions of enrichment processes and assessments of the prevailing commercial and industrial situations. I shall therefore avoid as much as possible duplications with these other lectures, and rather dwell on: some theoretical aspects of enrichment in general, underlying the differences between statistical and selective processes, a review and comparison between enrichment processes, remarks of general order regarding applications, the proliferation potential of enrichment. It is noteworthy that enrichment: may occur twice in the LWR fuel cycle: first by enriching natural uranium, second by reenriching uranium recovered from reprocessing, must meet LWR requirements, and in particular higher assays required by high burn up fuel elements, bears on the structure of the entire front part of the fuel cycle, namely in the conversion/reconversion steps only involving UF 6 for the moment. (author). tabs., figs., 4 refs

  12. Achievement report for 1st phase (fiscal 1974-80) Sunshine Program research and development - Hydrogen energy. Research on hydrogen production technology using thermochemical method (Research on iodine-based cycle etc.); 1974-1980 nendo netsukagakuho ni yoru suiso seizo gijutsu no kenkyu seika hokokusho. Yosokei cycle nado no kenkyu

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1981-03-01

    Iodine-alkaline earth metal (Mg, Ca) cycles are discovered, and the one with Mg is found excellent. The reaction consists of four stages, that is, Stage (1) where 1/5Mg(IO{sub 3}){sub 2}+MgI{sub 2}(aq) is obtained from 6/5MgO+6/5I{sub 2}, Stage (2) where 1/5MgO+1/5I{sub 2}+1/2O{sub 2} is obtained from 1/5Mg(IO{sub 3}){sub 2}, Stage (3) where MgO+2HI is obtained from MgI{sub 2}+H{sub 2}O, and Stage (4) where H{sub 2}+I{sub 2} is obtained from 2HI. Since there is much iodine and water at Stage (1), MgO thrice MgI{sub 2} in mol is added for reforming and concentration. At Stage (4), where the decomposition rate is as low as 17-27% with the equilibrium dissociation reaction proceeding at 300-700 degrees C, hydrogen is selectively separated by permeation through a porous diaphragm for the acceleration of the reaction. As for materials for the device, they are narrowed down to high-priced ones, that is, Ta and Nb for Stage (1), Ni-50Cr for Stage (2), and Mo etc. for Stages (3) and (4). Under the circumstances, a study is started for the development of a chemical vapor plating process which is high in corrosion resistance. Other cycles such as sulfur-based cycles and hybrid cycles are also investigated. (NEDO)

  13. Hygiene assessment of sheep slaughter cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pyz-Łukasik Renata

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to determine microbial contamination of mutton carcass surface with regard to the number of the slaughtered animals. The total bacterial load and Enterobacteriaceae and enterococci counts were determined. Sampling for microbiological analysis as well as detection and enumeration of each microorganism group were performed according to the Polish Standards. No significant effect of the order of the slaughtering animals during the slaughter day on total bacterial count on mutton carcass surfaces was found. The overall bacterial contamination of mutton carcasses were between 1.0 × 103 cfu/cm2 (3.0 log - stage I and 2.5 × 103 cfu/cm2 (3.4 log - stage III. No significant difference among the slaughter cycles, as indicated by total microbial numbers was observed. The obtained daily mean log values ranged from 4.7 × 102 (2.67 log and 7.6 × 103 (3.88 log cfu/cm2. The daily log mean values were lower than the maximal bacteria count (M set out for hygiene standard of sheep slaughter process by the Commission Regulation 2073/2005. Bacteria belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family were recovered from 21 (65.6% samples while enterococci were identified in 28 (87.5% samples. In most cases, significant differences in the level of contamination with bacteria isolated from the carcasses at each stage of a daily slaughter cycle, were not observed. At stage III, significantly higher levels of bacterial contamination (0.86 and 1.31 log cfu/cm2 respectively were established as compared to stage I (0.37 and 0.58 log cfu/cm2 respectively. There were no Salmonella-positive samples determined. Importantly, the number of slaughtered animals during a slaughter day did not influence bacterial contamination on carcass surface if the successful application of HACCP control system was combined with the implementation of optimal sanitary supervision.

  14. Animal Models for Studying the In Vivo Functions of Cell Cycle CDKs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Risal, Sanjiv; Adhikari, Deepak; Liu, Kui

    2016-01-01

    Multiple Cdks (Cdk4, Cdk6, and Cdk2) and a mitotic Cdk (Cdk1) are involved in cell cycle progression in mammals. Cyclins, Cdk inhibitors, and phosphorylations (both activating and inhibitory) at different cellular levels tightly modulate the activities of these kinases. Based on the results of biochemical studies, it was long believed that different Cdks functioned at specific stages during cell cycle progression. However, deletion of all three interphase Cdks in mice affected cell cycle entry and progression only in certain specialized cells such as hematopoietic cells, beta cells of the pancreas, pituitary lactotrophs, and cardiomyocytes. These genetic experiments challenged the prevailing biochemical model and established that Cdks function in a cell-specific, but not a stage-specific, manner during cell cycle entry and the progression of mitosis. Recent in vivo studies have further established that Cdk1 is the only Cdk that is both essential and sufficient for driving the resumption of meiosis during mouse oocyte maturation. These genetic studies suggest a minimal-essential cell cycle model in which Cdk1 is the central regulator of cell cycle progression. Cdk1 can compensate for the loss of the interphase Cdks by forming active complexes with A-, B-, E-, and D-type Cyclins in a stepwise manner. Thus, Cdk1 plays an essential role in both mitosis and meiosis in mammals, whereas interphase Cdks are dispensable.

  15. The Plasmodium protein P113 supports efficient sporozoite to liver stage conversion in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Offeddu, Vittoria; Rauch, Manuel; Silvie, Olivier; Matuschewski, Kai

    2014-02-01

    Invasive stages of Plasmodium parasites possess distinct integral and peripheral membrane proteins that mediate host cell attachment and invasion. P113 is an abundant protein in detergent-resistant high molecular weight complexes in Plasmodium schizonts, but is unusual since expression extends to gametocytes and sporozoites. In this study, we tested whether P113 performs important functions for parasite propagation in Plasmodium berghei. We show that pre-erythrocytic expression of P113 displays key signatures of upregulated in infectious sporozoites (UIS) genes, including control by the liver stage master regulator SLARP. Targeted gene deletion resulted in viable blood stage parasites that displayed no signs of blood stage growth defects. p113(-) parasites propagated normally through the life cycle until mature sporozoites, but displayed defects during natural sporozoite transmission, leading to a delay to patency in infected animals. By comparative in vitro and in vivo analysis of pre-erythrocytic development and using a xeno-diagnostic test we show that ablation of P113 results in lower sporozoite to liver stage conversion and, as a consequence, reduced merozoite output in vivo, without delaying liver stage development. We conclude that p113 is dispensable for Plasmodium life cycle progression and plays auxiliary roles during pre-erythrocytic development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Life stages of an aphid living under similar thermal conditions differ in thermal performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Fei; Hoffmann, Ary A; Xing, Kun; Ma, Chun-Sen

    2017-05-01

    Heat responses can vary ontogenetically in many insects with complex life cycles, reflecting differences in thermal environments they experience. Such variation has rarely been considered in insects that develop incrementally and experience common microclimates across stages. To test if there is a low level of ontogenetic variation for heat responses in one such species, the English grain aphid Sitobion avenae, basal tolerance [upper lethal temperature (ULT 50 ) and maximum critical temperature (CT max )], hardening capacity (CT max ) and hardening costs (adult longevity and fecundity) were measured across five stages (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th-instar nymphs and newly moulted adults). We found large tolerance differences among stages of this global pest species, and a tendency for the stage with lower heat tolerance to show a stronger hardening response. There were also substantial reproductive costs of hardening responses, with the level of stress experienced, and not the proximity of the exposed stage to the reproductive adult stage, influencing the magnitude of this cost. Hence hardening in this aphid may counter inherently low tolerance levels of some life stages but at a cost to adult longevity and fecundity. Our findings highlight the significance of ontogenetic variation in predicting responses of a species to climate change, even in species without a complex life cycle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Performance assessment of simple and modified cycle turboshaft gas turbines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barinyima Nkoi

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on investigations encompassing comparative assessment of gas turbine cycle options. More specifically, investigation was carried out of technical performance of turboshaft engine cycles based on existing simple cycle (SC and its projected modified cycles for civil helicopter application. Technically, thermal efficiency, specific fuel consumption, and power output are of paramount importance to the overall performance of gas turbine engines. In course of carrying out this research, turbomatch software established at Cranfield University based on gas turbine theory was applied to conduct simulation of a simple cycle (baseline two-spool helicopter turboshaft engine model with free power turbine. Similarly, some modified gas turbine cycle configurations incorporating unconventional components, such as engine cycle with low pressure compressor (LPC zero-staged, recuperated engine cycle, and intercooled/recuperated (ICR engine cycle, were also simulated. In doing so, design point (DP and off-design point (OD performances of the engine models were established. The percentage changes in performance parameters of the modified cycle engines over the simple cycle were evaluated and it was found that to a large extent, the modified engine cycles with unconventional components exhibit better performances in terms of thermal efficiency and specific fuel consumption than the traditional simple cycle engine. This research made use of public domain open source references.

  18. The numbers game: quantitative analysis of Neorickettsia sp. propagation through complex life cycle of its digenean host using real-time qPCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greiman, Stephen E; Tkach, Vasyl V

    2016-07-01

    Bacteria of the genus Neorickettsia are obligate intracellular endosymbionts of parasitic flukes (Digenea) and are passed through the entire complex life cycle of the parasite by vertical transmission. Several species of Neorickettsia are known to cause diseases in domestic animals, wildlife, and humans. Quantitative data on the transmission of the bacteria through the digenean life cycle is almost completely lacking. This study quantified for the first time the abundance of Neorickettsia within multiple stages of the life cycle of the digenean Plagiorchis elegans. Snails Lymnaea stagnalis collected from a pond in North Dakota were screened for the presence of digenean cercariae, which were subsequently tested for the presence of Neorickettsia. Three L. stagnalis were found shedding P. elegans cercariae infected with Neorickettsia. These snails were used to initiate three separate laboratory life cycles and obtain all life cycle stages for bacterial quantification. A quantitative real-time PCR assay targeting the GroEL gene was developed to enumerate Neorickettsia sp. within different stages of the digenean life cycle. The number of bacteria significantly increased throughout all stages, from eggs to adults. The two largest increases in number of bacteria occurred during the period from eggs to cercariae and from 6-day metacercariae to 48-h juvenile worms. These two periods seem to be the most important for Neorickettsia propagation through the complex digenean life cycle and maturation in the definitive host.

  19. Life cycle assessment Part 2 : Current impact assessment practice

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pennington, D.W; Potting, J; Finnveden, G; Lindeijer, E; Jolliet, O; Rydberg, T.; Rebitzer, G.

    Providing our society with goods and services contributes to a wide range of environmental impacts. Waste generation, emissions and the consumption of resources occur at many stages in a product's life cycle-from raw material extraction, energy acquisition, production and manufacturing, use, reuse,

  20. Aviation Technology Life Cycle Management: Importance for Aviation Companies, Aerospace Industry Organizations and Relevant Stakeholders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanislav Szabo

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The paper in the introductory part underlines some aspects concerning the importance of Aviation Technology Life Cycle Management and informs on basic international standards for the processes and stages of life cycle. The second part is focused on definition and main objectives of system life cycle management. The authors subsequently inform on system life cycle stages (in general and system life cycle processes according to ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2015 standard. Following the fact, that life cycle cost (LCC is inseparable part and has direct connection to the life cycle management, the paper contains brief information regarding to LCC (cost categories, cost breakdown structure, cost estimation a.o.. Recently was issued the first part of Aviation Technology Life Cycle Management monograph (in Slovak: ”Manažment životného cyklu leteckej techniky I”, written by I.Koblen and S.Szabo. Following this fact and direct relation to the topic of article it is a part of article briefly introduced the content of two parts of this monograph (the 2nd part of monograph it has been prepared for the print. The last part of article is focused on issue concerning main assumptions and conditions for successful application of aviation technology life cycle management in aviation companies, aerospace industry organizations as well as from the relevant stakeholders side.

  1. Cross check of the new economic and mass balance feature of the fuel cycle scenario code TR-EVOL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merino-Rodriguez, I.; Garcia-Martinez, M.; Alvarez-Velarde, F.; Lopez, D.

    2016-01-01

    Versatile computational tools with up to date capabilities are needed to assess current nuclear fuel cycles or the transition from the current status of the fuel cycle to the more advanced and sustainable ones. The TR-EVOL module, that is devoted to fuel cycle mass balance, simulates diverse nuclear power plants (PWR, SFR, ADS, etc.), having possibly different types of fuels (UO_2, MOX, etc.), and the associated fuel cycle facilities (enrichment, fuel fabrication, processing, interim storage, waste storage, geological disposal). This work is intended to cross check the new capabilities of the fuel cycle scenario code TR-EVOL.This process has been divided in 2 stages. The first stage is dedicated to check the improvements in the nuclear fuel mass balance estimation using the available data for the Spanish nuclear fuel cycle. The second stage has been focused in verifying the validity of the TR-EVOL economic module, comparing results to data published by the ARCAS EU project. A specific analysis was required to evaluate the back-end cost. Data published by the waste management responsible institutions was used for the validation of the methodology. Results were highly satisfactory for both stages. In particular, the economic assessment provides a difference smaller than 3% regarding results published by the ARCAS project (NRG estimations). Furthermore, concerning the back-end cost, results are highly acceptable (7% difference for a final disposal in a once-through scenario and around 11% for a final disposal in a reprocessing strategy) given the significant uncertainties involved in design concepts and related unit costs. (authors)

  2. Relationship between organizational life cycle and budgeting process in mechanical metal company of high and middle Valley Itajaí

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leandro Marques

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was investigate the relationship of the different stages of organizational life cycle of companies in the field of mechanical metal in Alto and Médio Vale do Itajaí, with the profile of the budgeting process. The methodology used was characterized as descriptive performed by means of a survey, with a quantitative approach. We used a questionnaire with 54 questions divided into four blocks, adapted from Frezatti et al. (2010. The life cycle model in the implement of research is to Miller and Friesen (1984. Questionnaires were sent to 193 companies in the metal mechanic industry of the Alto and Médio Vale do Itajaí. We obtained 31 answers who were treated statistically by means of descriptive statistics, discriminant analysis and correlation analysis. The results show that most companies are in stages of birth and rejuvenation. It was also found that the budgeting process most commonly used by companies is budgetary control. It was identified that there is a relationship between budgeting process artifacts and the stage of life cycle that the company is, but this use occurs differently in each stage. Thus it is concluded that, as the company becomes more complex and advanced stages of the life cycle, the greater is the use of budgeting process, with significant drop in the use of these artifacts when the company is at the stage of decline.

  3. Analysis of changes in paper cutting forces during the cutting cycle in single-knife guillotine

    OpenAIRE

    Rusin, Agnieszka; Petriaszwili, Georgij

    2013-01-01

    Paper presents the results of changes in the three components of cutting forces of paper stacks cutting during the cutting cycle in single-knife guillotine. The changes of the three components of cutting force at different stages of cutting cycle were analyzed.

  4. Fuel and fuel cycles with high burnup for WWER reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chernushev, V.; Sokolov, F.

    2002-01-01

    The paper discusses the status and trends in development of nuclear fuel and fuel cycles for WWER reactors. Parameters and main stages of implementation of new fuel cycles will be presented. At present, these new fuel cycles are offered to NPPs. Development of new fuel and fuel cycles based on the following principles: profiling fuel enrichment in a cross section of fuel assemblies; increase of average fuel enrichment in fuel assemblies; use of refuelling schemes with lower neutron leakage ('in-in-out'); use of integrated fuel gadolinium-based burnable absorber (for a five-year fuel cycle); increase of fuel burnup in fuel assemblies; improving the neutron balance by using structural materials with low neutron absorption; use of zirconium alloy claddings which are highly resistant to irradiation and corrosion. The paper also presents the results of fuel operation. (author)

  5. Fiscal 1980 Sunshine Project research report. Development of hydrothermal power plant (Development of binary cycle power plant). Supplement. Research on plant technology; 1980 nendo nessui riyo hatsuden plant no kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Binary cycle hatsuden palnt no kaihatsu bessatsu (plant gijutsu kenkyu chosa)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1981-03-01

    Research was made on new geothermal power plant technologies such as downhole pump and dual boiler for development of the 10MW class binary cycle power plant using geothermal energy. In heat cycle calculation of dual boilers, the cycle performance of a subcritical multi-stage evaporation cycle with R-114 heat medium was obtained through cycle calculation, heat conduction calculation and profitability calculation. The calculation result suggested possible considerable reduction of heat loss due to heat exchange at a preheater and evaporator, and considerable reduction of discharge loss of hot water by such multi-stage evaporation cycle. In American, every geothermal binary cycle power plant adopts pressurized heat exchange between hot water and heat medium by using downhole pumps, and pressurized reinjection of hot water into the ground. Since downhole pump itself not yet satisfies its requirements enough, it is said that Department of Energy is now under consideration on the future R and D. (NEDO)

  6. Differentiation stage-specific regulation of primitive human hematopoietic progenitor cycling by exogenous and endogenous inhibitors in an in vivo model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cashman, J D; Clark-Lewis, I; Eaves, A C; Eaves, C J

    1999-12-01

    Nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice transplanted with human cord blood or adult marrow cells and injected 6 weeks posttransplant with 2 daily doses of transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), or a nonaggregating form of macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) showed unique patterns of inhibition of human progenitor proliferation 1 day later. TGF-beta(1) was active on long-term culture initiating cells (LTC-IC) and on primitive erythroid and granulopoietic colony-forming cells (HPP-CFC), but had no effect on mature CFC. MCP-1 inhibited the cycling of both types of HPP-CFC but not LTC-IC. MIP-1alpha did not inhibit either LTC-IC or granulopoietic HPP-CFC but was active on erythroid HPP-CFC and mature granulopoietic CFC. All of these responses were independent of the source of human cells transplanted. LTC-IC of either human cord blood or adult marrow origin continue to proliferate in NOD/SCID mice for many weeks, although the turnover of all types of human CFC in mice transplanted with adult human marrow (but not cord blood) is downregulated after 6 weeks. Interestingly, administration of either MIP-1beta, an antagonist of both MIP-1alpha and MCP-1 or MCP-1(9-76), an antagonist of MCP-1 (and MCP-2 and MCP-3), into mice in which human marrow-derived CFC had become quiescent, caused the rapid reactivation of these progenitors in vivo. These results provide the first definition of stage-specific inhibitors of human hematopoietic progenitor cell cycling in vivo. In addition they show that endogenous chemokines can contribute to late graft failure, which can be reversed by the administration of specific antagonists.

  7. Substance flow analysis and environmental releases of PBDEs in life cycle of automobiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Jonghyun; Jang, Yong-Chul; Kim, Jong-Guk

    2017-01-01

    Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a class of brominated flame retardants, have been widely used in many applications in industry such as automobiles, textiles, and electronics. This study focused on a quantitative substance flow analysis (SFA) of PBDEs in automobiles in order to identify their flow by life cycle and treatment pathways of PBDEs-containing materials in end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in Korea. In addition, this study has estimated environmental releases of PBDEs in automobiles by life cycle in Korea. During this study, PBDEs were analyzed for the samples collected from several ELVs treatment facilities using X-ray fluorescence and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) methods. The system boundary for SFA of PBDEs ranged from manufacturing/trade to disposal stage of automobiles by life cycle. Based on the result of the SFA, it was found that the amount of PBDEs in automobiles were the highest in use stage (7748ton/year), followed by production stage (1743ton/year) in 2014. In disposal stage, automobile shredded residues (ASR) and seat fabrics were the main components with relatively high levels of PBDEs in ELVs. The major treatment methods of such components included incineration (84%), energy recovery (9%), and landfilling (6%). This research indicates that PBDEs were emitted the highest amount from interior components during the use stage of automobiles, followed by recycling processes such as dismantling and shredding. This study suggests that PBDEs in ASR and seat fabrics should be properly managed to prevent the widespread dispersion in the environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Participation des agriculteurs à la conception d’un projet de reconversion à l’irrigation localisée dans le périmètre du Tadla

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maha Hadioui

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Les périmètres de grande hydraulique au Maroc utilisent pour l’essentiel l’irrigation gravitaire ou l’aspersion. Dans ces périmètres, plusieurs projets pilotes de reconversion collective à l’irrigation localisée sont en cours. Nous avons mené une étude sur la participation des agriculteurs à la conception d’un projet pilote dans le périmètre du Tadla. Le projet ne prévoyait pas initialement de gérer l’aménagement de l’irrigation localisée au niveau des parcelles, mais cet aspect a été inclus par la suite. Les associations d’usagers de l’eau ont été redynamisées, avec notamment la nomination de chefs de bloc, qui doivent jouer le rôle d’intermédiaires entre les agriculteurs et le conseil d’administration. De nombreuses réunions d’information et de coordination ont été organisées. Ces différentes initiatives ont permis une bonne qualité de dialogue entre une minorité d’agriculteurs et les acteurs de développement en charge du projet. Cependant, une majorité d’agriculteurs n’ont pas ou peu participé aux réunions et aux visites de formation sur l’irrigation localisée, et ce, pour trois principales raisons : 1 une majorité des exploitations enquêtées sont gérées par plusieurs héritiers qui exploitent de façon indépendante des lots séparés, mais utilisent la même borne et ainsi sont peu visibles pour l’administration ; 2 l’absence de définition initiale d’une méthode explicite pour s’assurer d’une large participation ; et 3 le rôle limité qu’a joué les associations d’irrigants dans la circulation de l’information. Malgré ces limites, l’expérience a aussi été un lieu important d’apprentissage pour l’ensemble des acteurs, avec une amélioration progressive des conditions et résultats de la participation des agriculteurs.

  9. Cycle 7 outage experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gadeken, A.D.

    1986-03-01

    The scheduled 58-day refueling outage in preparation for the seventh operating cycle of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) was successfully completed three days ahead of schedule. The planning and execution of the outage was greatly aided by Project/2 automated scheduling capabilities. For example, the use of ''maintenance windows'' and resource loading capabilities was particularly effective. The value of the planning process was demonstrated by the smooth transition into the outage phase after an early shutdown and set the stage for our best outage to date

  10. Centrosome/Cell cycle uncoupling and elimination in the endoreduplicating intestinal cells of C. elegans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Lu

    Full Text Available The centrosome cycle is most often coordinated with mitotic cell division through the activity of various essential cell cycle regulators, consequently ensuring that the centriole is duplicated once, and only once, per cell cycle. However, this coupling can be altered in specific developmental contexts; for example, multi-ciliated cells generate hundreds of centrioles without any S-phase requirement for their biogenesis, while Drosophila follicle cells eliminate their centrosomes as they begin to endoreduplicate. In order to better understand how the centrosome cycle and the cell cycle are coordinated in a developmental context we use the endoreduplicating intestinal cell lineage of C. elegans to address how novel variations of the cell cycle impact this important process. In C. elegans, the larval intestinal cells undergo one nuclear division without subsequent cytokinesis, followed by four endocycles that are characterized by successive rounds of S-phase. We monitored the levels of centriolar/centrosomal markers and found that centrosomes lose their pericentriolar material following the nuclear division that occurs during the L1 stage and is thereafter never re-gained. The centrioles then become refractory to S phase regulators that would normally promote duplication during the first endocycle, after which they are eliminated during the L2 stage. Furthermore, we show that SPD-2 plays a central role in the numeral regulation of centrioles as a potential target of CDK activity. On the other hand, the phosphorylation on SPD-2 by Polo-like kinase, the transcriptional regulation of genes that affect centriole biogenesis, and the ubiquitin/proteasome degradation pathway, contribute collectively to the final elimination of the centrioles during the L2 stage.

  11. Design for life-cycle profit with simultaneous consideration of initial manufacturing and end-of-life remanufacturing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwak, Minjung; Kim, Harrison

    2015-01-01

    Remanufacturing is emerging as a promising solution for achieving green, profitable businesses. This article considers a manufacturer that produces new products and also remanufactured versions of the new products that become available at the end of their life cycle. For such a manufacturer, design decisions at the initial design stage determine both the current profit from manufacturing and future profit from remanufacturing. To maximize the total profit, design decisions must carefully consider both ends of product life cycle, i.e. manufacturing and end-of-life stages. This article proposes a decision-support model for the life-cycle design using mixed-integer nonlinear programming. With an aim to maximize the total life-cycle profit, the proposed model searches for an (at least locally) optimal product design (i.e. design specifications and the selling price) for the new and remanufactured products. It optimizes both the initial design and design upgrades at the end-of-life stage and also provides corresponding production strategies, including production quantities and take-back rate. The model is extended to a multi-objective model that maximizes both economic profit and environmental-impact saving. To illustrate, the developed model is demonstrated with an example of a desktop computer.

  12. Teaching basic life support with an automated external defibrillator using the two-stage or the four-stage teaching technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bjørnshave, Katrine; Krogh, Lise Q; Hansen, Svend B; Nebsbjerg, Mette A; Thim, Troels; Løfgren, Bo

    2018-02-01

    Laypersons often hesitate to perform basic life support (BLS) and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) because of self-perceived lack of knowledge and skills. Training may reduce the barrier to intervene. Reduced training time and costs may allow training of more laypersons. The aim of this study was to compare BLS/AED skills' acquisition and self-evaluated BLS/AED skills after instructor-led training with a two-stage versus a four-stage teaching technique. Laypersons were randomized to either two-stage or four-stage teaching technique courses. Immediately after training, the participants were tested in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario to assess their BLS/AED skills. Skills were assessed using the European Resuscitation Council BLS/AED assessment form. The primary endpoint was passing the test (17 of 17 skills adequately performed). A prespecified noninferiority margin of 20% was used. The two-stage teaching technique (n=72, pass rate 57%) was noninferior to the four-stage technique (n=70, pass rate 59%), with a difference in pass rates of -2%; 95% confidence interval: -18 to 15%. Neither were there significant differences between the two-stage and four-stage groups in the chest compression rate (114±12 vs. 115±14/min), chest compression depth (47±9 vs. 48±9 mm) and number of sufficient rescue breaths between compression cycles (1.7±0.5 vs. 1.6±0.7). In both groups, all participants believed that their training had improved their skills. Teaching laypersons BLS/AED using the two-stage teaching technique was noninferior to the four-stage teaching technique, although the pass rate was -2% (95% confidence interval: -18 to 15%) lower with the two-stage teaching technique.

  13. Insulation Cork Boards-Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of an Organic Construction Material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvestre, José D; Pargana, Nuno; de Brito, Jorge; Pinheiro, Manuel D; Durão, Vera

    2016-05-20

    Envelope insulation is a relevant technical solution to cut energy consumption and reduce environmental impacts in buildings. Insulation Cork Boards (ICB) are a natural thermal insulation material whose production promotes the recycling of agricultural waste. The aim of this paper is to determine and evaluate the environmental impacts of the production, use, and end-of-life processing of ICB. A "cradle-to-cradle" environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed according to International LCA standards and the European standards on the environmental evaluation of buildings. These results were based on site-specific data and resulted from a consistent methodology, fully described in the paper for each life cycle stage: Cork oak tree growth, ICB production, and end-of-life processing-modeling of the carbon flows ( i.e. , uptakes and emissions), including sensitivity analysis of this procedure; at the production stage-the modeling of energy processes and a sensitivity analysis of the allocation procedures; during building operation-the expected service life of ICB; an analysis concerning the need to consider the thermal diffusivity of ICB in the comparison of the performance of insulation materials. This paper presents the up-to-date "cradle-to-cradle" environmental performance of ICB for the environmental categories and life-cycle stages defined in European standards.

  14. Systematic Review of Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Geothermal Electricity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eberle, Annika [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Heath, Garvin A. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Carpenter Petri, Alberta C. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Nicholson, Scott R. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2017-09-29

    The primary goal of this work was to assess the magnitude and variability of published life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission estimates for three types of geothermal electricity generation technologies: enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) binary, hydrothermal (HT) flash, and HT binary. These technologies were chosen to align the results of this report with technologies modeled in National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Regional Energy Deployment Systems (ReEDs) model. Although we did gather and screen life cycle assessment (LCA) literature on hybrid systems, dry steam, and two geothermal heating technologies, we did not analyze published GHG emission estimates for these technologies. In our systematic literature review of the LCA literature, we screened studies in two stages based on a variety of criteria adapted from NREL's Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Harmonization study (Heath and Mann 2012). Of the more than 180 geothermal studies identified, only 29 successfully passed both screening stages and only 26 of these included estimates of life cycle GHG emissions. We found that the median estimate of life cycle GHG emissions (in grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour generated [g CO2eq/kWh]) reported by these studies are 32.0, 47.0, and 11.3 for EGS binary, HT flash, and HT binary, respectively (Figure ES-1). We also found that the total life cycle GHG emissions are dominated by different stages of the life cycle for different technologies. For example, the GHG emissions from HT flash plants are dominated by the operations phase owing to the flash cycle being open loop whereby carbon dioxide entrained in the geothermal fluids is released to the atmosphere. This is in contrast to binary plants (using either EGS or HT resources), whose GHG emissions predominantly originate in the construction phase, owing to its closed-loop process design. Finally, by comparing this review's literature-derived range of HT flash GHG emissions to

  15. Control system to a Rankine cycle with a Tesla turbine using arduino

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medeiros, Josenei G.; Guimaraes, Lamartine F.; Placco, Guilherme M.

    2013-01-01

    The thermal Rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle which converts heat in energy. This cycle occurs in steady state, in other words the cycle is a closed loop circuit with continuous feedback, which guarantees the reuse process one energy transformed in the various stages of the cycle. This cycle is used to drive a turbine type TESLA designed for the system. The objective of this work is to create the control and automation of this cycle using an micro-controlled system with Arduino that will hold the collection of sensors and the system will act to maintain the balance of the cycle causing it to behave continuously and with less interference from human operation for maintenance. Data will be collected and further processed, where it will display all the sensors and the situation of the actuators involved. Using Arduino system ensures the stability and reliability with a low cost of implementation

  16. Control system to a Rankine cycle with a Tesla turbine using arduino

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Medeiros, Josenei G., E-mail: joseneigodoi@yahoo.com.br [Faculdade de Tecnologia Sao Francisco (FATESF), Jacarei, SP (Brazil); Guimaraes, Lamartine F.; Placco, Guilherme M., E-mail: guimarae@ieav.cta.br, E-mail: placco@ieav.cta.br [Instituto de Estudos Avancados (ENU/IEAv/DCTA), Sao Jose dos Campos, SP (Brazil). Departamento de Energia Nuclear

    2013-07-01

    The thermal Rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle which converts heat in energy. This cycle occurs in steady state, in other words the cycle is a closed loop circuit with continuous feedback, which guarantees the reuse process one energy transformed in the various stages of the cycle. This cycle is used to drive a turbine type TESLA designed for the system. The objective of this work is to create the control and automation of this cycle using an micro-controlled system with Arduino that will hold the collection of sensors and the system will act to maintain the balance of the cycle causing it to behave continuously and with less interference from human operation for maintenance. Data will be collected and further processed, where it will display all the sensors and the situation of the actuators involved. Using Arduino system ensures the stability and reliability with a low cost of implementation.

  17. Assessment of the external costs of the coal fuel cycle and the wind energy cycle in Spain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linares, P.; Montes, J.; Saez, R.M.

    1995-09-01

    This study is part of the ExternE Project, a joint effort of the European Commission and the US Dept. of Energy to assess the externalities of different fuel cycles, and quantify them in monetary terms, as kWh price adders. For Spain, this assessment has been carried out for a coal plant hypothetically sited in Valdecaballeros, in Southwestern Spain, and for an existing farm in Cabo Villano, in the Northwestern corner. In this first stage, only environmental externalities have been assessed. The first section contains a description of the methodology used in the European project, based mostly on a damage function approach, and its adaptation to Spanish conditions. In the last section, this methodology has been applied to the fuel cycles mentioned. The impacts assessed have been, for the coal fuel cycle, health effects, agricultural and forest production losses, and global warming. For wind energy, the main impacts considered have been noise, loss of visual amenity, accidents and global warning. The results obtained can only be considered as underestimates, as there are still impacts that have not been assessed or quantified, specially for the coal fuel cycle. Thus, further research is needed for a complete assessment

  18. Plasmodium falciparum full life cycle and Plasmodium ovale liver stages in humanized mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soulard, Valérie; Bosson-Vanga, Henriette; Lorthiois, Audrey; Roucher, Clémentine; Franetich, Jean-François; Zanghi, Gigliola; Bordessoulles, Mallaury; Tefit, Maurel; Thellier, Marc; Morosan, Serban; Le Naour, Gilles; Capron, Frédérique; Suemizu, Hiroshi; Snounou, Georges; Moreno-Sabater, Alicia; Mazier, Dominique

    2015-07-24

    Experimental studies of Plasmodium parasites that infect humans are restricted by their host specificity. Humanized mice offer a means to overcome this and further provide the opportunity to observe the parasites in vivo. Here we improve on previous protocols to achieve efficient double engraftment of TK-NOG mice by human primary hepatocytes and red blood cells. Thus, we obtain the complete hepatic development of P. falciparum, the transition to the erythrocytic stages, their subsequent multiplication, and the appearance of mature gametocytes over an extended period of observation. Furthermore, using sporozoites derived from two P. ovale-infected patients, we show that human hepatocytes engrafted in TK-NOG mice sustain maturation of the liver stages, and the presence of late-developing schizonts indicate the eventual activation of quiescent parasites. Thus, TK-NOG mice are highly suited for in vivo observations on the Plasmodium species of humans.

  19. Integrating life stages into ecological niche models: a case study on tiger beetles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taboada, Angela; von Wehrden, Henrik; Assmann, Thorsten

    2013-01-01

    Detailed understanding of a species' natural history and environmental needs across spatial scales is a primary requisite for effective conservation planning, particularly for species with complex life cycles in which different life stages occupy different niches and respond to the environment at different scales. However, niche models applied to conservation often neglect early life stages and are mostly performed at broad spatial scales. Using the endangered heath tiger beetle (Cicindela sylvatica) as a model species, we relate presence/absence and abundance data of locally dispersing adults and sedentary larvae to abiotic and biotic variables measured in a multiscale approach within the geographic extent relevant to active conservation management. At the scale of hundreds of meters, fine-grained abiotic conditions (i.e., vegetation structure) are fundamental determinants of the occurrence of both life stages, whereas the effect of biotic factors is mostly contained in the abiotic signature. The combination of dense heath vegetation and bare ground areas is thus the first requirement for the species' preservation, provided that accessibility to the suitable habitat is ensured. At a smaller scale (centimetres), the influence of abiotic factors on larval occurrence becomes negligible, suggesting the existence of important additional variables acting within larval proximity. Sustained significant correlations between neighbouring larvae in the models provide an indication of the potential impact of neighbourhood crowding on the larval niche within a few centimetres. Since the species spends the majority of its life cycle in the larval stage, it is essential to consider the hierarchical abiotic and biotic processes affecting the larvae when designing practical conservation guidelines for the species. This underlines the necessity for a more critical evaluation of the consequences of disregarding niche variation between life stages when estimating niches and

  20. The Annual Reproductive Cycle of Silurus microdorsalis, a Korean Endemic Species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ki, Se-Un; Lee, Won-Kyo

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT The annual reproductive cycle of the Korean endemic slender catfish, Silurus microdorsalis, was examined histologically regarding water temperature and day length of habitat, gonadosomatic index (GSI), and development characteristics of female and male gonads. The maximum GSI value was found in May, 1.23±0.33 and 11.77±3.23 for male and female respectively (habitat water temperature 21.5°C/13.59hr day length). On the other hand, the minimal level was 0.63±0.10 in July (26.5°C/14.17) for male and 1.36±0.08 in October (20°C/11.2hr) for female. We compared and calculated the stages of testis and ovary development process in order to determine the germ cell development characteristics and the reproductive cycle. According to results, we classified the annual reproductive cycle of the slender catfish into five stages: Growing phase (December-February), Mature phase (March-April), Ripe and spawning phase / Releasing phase in male (May-June), Degenerative phase (July-August), and Resting phase (September-November).

  1. Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of anesthetic drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherman, Jodi; Le, Cathy; Lamers, Vanessa; Eckelman, Matthew

    2012-05-01

    Anesthesiologists must consider the entire life cycle of drugs in order to include environmental impacts into clinical decisions. In the present study we used life cycle assessment to examine the climate change impacts of 5 anesthetic drugs: sevoflurane, desflurane, isoflurane, nitrous oxide, and propofol. A full cradle-to-grave approach was used, encompassing resource extraction, drug manufacturing, transport to health care facilities, drug delivery to the patient, and disposal or emission to the environment. At each stage of the life cycle, energy, material inputs, and emissions were considered, as well as use-specific impacts of each drug. The 4 inhalation anesthetics are greenhouse gases (GHGs), and so life cycle GHG emissions include waste anesthetic gases vented to the atmosphere and emissions (largely carbon dioxide) that arise from other life cycle stages. Desflurane accounts for the largest life cycle GHG impact among the anesthetic drugs considered here: 15 times that of isoflurane and 20 times that of sevoflurane on a per MAC-hour basis when administered in an O(2)/air admixture. GHG emissions increase significantly for all drugs when administered in an N(2)O/O(2) admixture. For all of the inhalation anesthetics, GHG impacts are dominated by uncontrolled emissions of waste anesthetic gases. GHG impacts of propofol are comparatively quite small, nearly 4 orders of magnitude lower than those of desflurane or nitrous oxide. Unlike the inhaled drugs, the GHG impacts of propofol primarily stem from the electricity required for the syringe pump and not from drug production or direct release to the environment. Our results reiterate previous published data on the GHG effects of these inhaled drugs, while providing a life cycle context. There are several practical environmental impact mitigation strategies. Desflurane and nitrous oxide should be restricted to cases where they may reduce morbidity and mortality over alternative drugs. Clinicians should avoid

  2. Task Order 20: Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle Energy Conversion Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murray, Paul [AREVA Federal Services, LLC, Charlotte, NC (United States); Lindsay, Edward [AREVA Federal Services, LLC, Charlotte, NC (United States); McDowell, Michael [AREVA Federal Services, LLC, Charlotte, NC (United States); Huang, Megan [AREVA Federal Services, LLC, Charlotte, NC (United States)

    2015-04-23

    AREVA Inc. developed this study for the US Department of Energy (DOE) office of Nuclear Energy (NE) in accordance with Task Order 20 Statement of Work (SOW) covering research and development activities for the Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2) Brayton Cycle energy conversion. The study addresses the conversion of sCO2 heat energy to electrical output by use of a Brayton Cycle system and focuses on the potential of a net efficiency increase via cycle recuperation and recompression stages. The study also addresses issues and study needed to advance development and implementation of a 10 MWe sCO2 demonstration project.

  3. A systematic analysis of the early transcribed membrane protein family throughout the life cycle of Plasmodium yoelii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacKellar, Drew C; Vaughan, Ashley M; Aly, Ahmed S I; DeLeon, Sasha; Kappe, Stefan H I

    2011-11-01

    The early transcribed membrane proteins (ETRAMPs) are a family of small, highly charged transmembrane proteins unique to malaria parasites. Some members of the ETRAMP family have been localized to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane that separates the intracellular parasite from the host cell and thus presumably have a role in host-parasite interactions. Although it was previously shown that two ETRAMPs are critical for rodent malaria parasite liver-stage development, the importance of most ETRAMPs during the parasite life cycle remains unknown. Here, we comprehensively identify nine new etramps in the genome of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii, and elucidate their conservation in other malaria parasites. etramp expression profiles are diverse throughout the parasite life cycle as measured by RT-PCR. Epitope tagging of two ETRAMPs demonstrates protein expression in blood and liver stages, and reveals differences in both their timing of expression and their subcellular localization. Gene targeting studies of each of the nine uncharacterized etramps show that two are refractory to deletion and thus likely essential for blood-stage replication. Seven etramps are not essential for any life cycle stage. Systematic characterization of the members of the ETRAMP family reveals the diversity in importance of each family member at the interface between host and parasite throughout the developmental cycle of the malaria parasite. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  4. Down-regulation of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle genes blocks progression through the first mitotic division in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Mohammad M; Rosu, Simona; Joseph-Strauss, Daphna; Cohen-Fix, Orna

    2014-02-18

    The cell cycle is a highly regulated process that enables the accurate transmission of chromosomes to daughter cells. Here we uncover a previously unknown link between the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and cell cycle progression in the Caenorhabditis elegans early embryo. We found that down-regulation of TCA cycle components, including citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, and aconitase, resulted in a one-cell stage arrest before entry into mitosis: pronuclear meeting occurred normally, but nuclear envelope breakdown, centrosome separation, and chromosome condensation did not take place. Mitotic entry is controlled by the cyclin B-cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) complex, and the inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdk1 must be removed in order for the complex to be active. We found that following down-regulation of the TCA cycle, cyclin B levels were normal but CDK-1 remained inhibitory-phosphorylated in one-cell stage-arrested embryos, indicative of a G2-like arrest. Moreover, this was not due to an indirect effect caused by checkpoint activation by DNA damage or replication defects. These observations suggest that CDK-1 activation in the C. elegans one-cell embryo is sensitive to the metabolic state of the cell, and that down-regulation of the TCA cycle prevents the removal of CDK-1 inhibitory phosphorylation. The TCA cycle was previously shown to be necessary for the development of the early embryo in mammals, but the molecular processes affected were not known. Our study demonstrates a link between the TCA cycle and a specific cell cycle transition in the one-cell stage embryo.

  5. Influence of Fixed Temperature of Chilled Water Outlet Setting toward Performance of Chiller Absorbtion with Two Level Heating Cycle Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I Gusti Agung Bagus Wirajati

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The study investigated the performance of re-heat two stage cycle. This paper presents the working principle and theexperimental results of the reheat two stage adsorption cycle. The performance of the cycle was evaluated under differentheat source temperature and mass recovery time. Coefficient of performance (COP and cooling capacity have beencalculated to analyze the influences of experimental conditions. The experimental results shown in both COP and coolingcapacity increased along with heat source temperature increased, and mass recovery time is very effective to improve theperformance without increasing heat source temperature.

  6. Community Energy: Analysis of Hydrogen Distributed Energy Systems with Photovoltaics for Load Leveling and Vehicle Refueling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steward, D.; Zuboy, J.

    2014-10-01

    Energy storage could complement PV electricity generation at the community level. Because PV generation is intermittent, strategies must be implemented to integrate it into the electricity system. Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies offer possible PV integration strategies, including the community-level approaches analyzed in this report: (1) using hydrogen production, storage, and reconversion to electricity to level PV generation and grid loads (reconversion scenario); (2) using hydrogen production and storage to capture peak PV generation and refuel hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) (hydrogen fueling scenario); and (3) a comparison scenario using a battery system to store electricity for EV nighttime charging (electric charging scenario).

  7. Specification of life cycle assessment in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abbaspour, M.; Kargari, N.; Mastouri, R.

    2008-01-01

    Life Cycle Assessment is an environmental management tool for assessing the environmental impacts of a product of a process. life cycle assessment involves the evaluation of environmental impacts through all stages of life cycle of a product or process. In other words life cycle assessment has a c radle to grave a pproach. Some results of life cycle assessment consist of pollution prevention, energy efficient system, material conservation, economic system and sustainable development. All power generation technologies affect the environment in one way or another. The main environmental impact does not always occur during operation of power plant. The life cycle assessment of nuclear power has entailed studying the entire fuel cycle from mine to deep repository, as well as the construction, operation and demolition of the power station. Nuclear power plays an important role in electricity production for several countries. even though the use of nuclear power remains controversial. But due to the shortage of fossil fuel energy resources many countries have started to try more alternation to their sources of energy production. A life cycle assessment could detect all environmental impacts of nuclear power from extracting resources, building facilities and transporting material through the final conversion to useful energy services

  8. Effect of thermal shock on developmental stages of estuarine fish. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dean, J.M.

    1978-12-01

    Physiological data and ecological data show that the few estuarine spawners have a higher thermal tolerance in the embryonic and larval stages than do the freshwater, coastal, or oceanic spawning species. However, since all three groups (freshwater, estuarine, and oceanic spawners) occupy the estuary and coastal waters at different times of the year, knowledge of their physiology and ecology at different developmental or life cycle stages is critical for estuarine management decisions

  9. Kinetics of element profile pattern during life cycle stage of morning-glory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakanishi, T.M.; Tamada, M.

    1999-01-01

    The kinetics of seven element profiles, macroscopic elements, Na, Mg, Cl, K and Ca, as well as Al and Br, in every tissue of morning-glory (Ipomoea nil L. c.v. Murasaki), from seedling to flowering stage are presented. Barriers for the elements were formed even in the same tissue during different growing phases. Most of Na and Al remained in root tissue, showing the first barrier to the upper part of the plant. During the juvenile phase, the tissues lower than cotyledon stored the elements, especially Ca and Mg. The barrier at cotyledon did not disappear completely until seed ripening stage, except for K. Generally, late developing stem showed lower accumulation of the elements, which seemed to regulate the inflow of Mg, Ca, Cl and Br into flowering tissue. The concentrations of K, Ca, Cl and Br in leaf were kept constant in spite of twice or three times higher concentration of these elements in leaf petiole. After flowering, selective element accumulation was observed during seed development, where most of the elements were accumulated into seed wall, not in seed. Higher concentration of the elements in elder leaf, which falls into ground and will be reused as plant nutrient, might reflect the recycling system of the elements in plants. (author)

  10. Removal of zirconium and niobium activities from plutonium nitrate during plutonium reconversion process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ajithlal, R.T.; Rakshe, P.R.; Kumaraguru, K.

    2010-01-01

    Present investigation deals with quality improvement of Pu solutions after ion exchange cycle of Purex process. In order to improve the decontamination factor of Pu with respect to fission products zirconium ( 95 Zr) and niobium ( 95 Nb), Pu-Product solution was precipitated as oxalate at different compositions of nitric acid with stoichiometric and hyper-stoichiometric amount of oxalic acid. The Pu-oxalate so precipitated was washed with respective feed solutions of oxalic and nitric acid mixture, similar to feed conditions. Fission product activities in the feed, supernatant and the washes were analysed for gross gamma activity and individual fission products by Multichannel analyzer using HPGe-detector. A solution comprising of 4M HNO 3 + 0.2M excess oxalic acid precipitation with excess amount of washing yielded effective decontamination of the Pu product. (author)

  11. Cell cycles and proliferation patterns in Haematococcus pluvialis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chunhui; Liu, Jianguo; Zhang, Litao

    2017-09-01

    Most studies on Haematococcus pluvialis have been focused on cell growth and astaxanthin accumulation; far less attention has been paid to cell cycles and proliferation patterns. The purpose of this study was to clarify cell cycles and proliferation patterns in H. pluvialis microscopically using a camera and video recorder system. The complicated life history of H. pluvialis can be divided into two stages: the motile stage and the non-motile stage. All the cells can be classified into forms as follows: motile cell, nonmotile cell, zoospore and aplanospore. The main cell proliferation, both in the motile phase and non-motile phase in H. pluvialis, is by asexual reproduction. Under normal growth conditions, a motile cell usually produces two, sometimes four, and exceptionally eight zoospores. Under unfavorable conditions, the motile cell loses its flagella and transforms into a non-motile cell, and the non-motile cell usually produces 2, 4 or 8 aplanospores, and occasionally 20-32 aplanospores, which further develop into non-motile cells. Under suitable conditions, the non-motile cell is also able to release zoospores. The larger non-motile cells produce more than 16 zoospores, and the smaller ones produce 4 or 8 zoospores. Vegetative reproduction is by direct cell division in the motile phase and by occasional cell budding in the non-motile phase. There is, as yet, no convincing direct evidence for sexual reproduction.

  12. Mathematical model of the reformer sponge iron cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fraser, S.; Hacker, V.; Evers, B.; Hierzer, J.; Besenhard, J.O.

    2003-01-01

    A mathematical model of the Reformer Sponge Iron Cycle (RESC), an innovative hydrogen production process based on redox reactions of iron ore pellets is presented. In the oxidation stage of the RESC, hydrogen is produced by blowing steam over hot iron pellets, hence oxidizing the iron. In the reduction stage, synthesis gas coming from a reformer mixed with a fraction of recycled off-gas is used to reduce the iron oxide pellets (wuestite and/or magnetite) back into iron again. A mathematical model of the complete RESC was developed and verified with experimental data. The model is based on calculations of the equilibrium gas concentrations for reformer and Sponge Iron Reactor (SIR). The current model computes mass fluxes, molar fluxes, partial pressures and variations of the respective throughout the complete cycle. The recycle rate, determining the fraction of SIR off-gas recycled and added to the input gas stream was subsequently optimized in order to maximize the amount of iron oxide reduced for a certain input gas flow. (author)

  13. Sustainability Features of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano Passerini

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The nuclear fuel cycle is the series of stages that nuclear fuel materials go through in a cradle to grave framework. The Once Through Cycle (OTC is the current fuel cycle implemented in the United States; in which an appropriate form of the fuel is irradiated through a nuclear reactor only once before it is disposed of as waste. The discharged fuel contains materials that can be suitable for use as fuel. Thus, different types of fuel recycling technologies may be introduced in order to more fully utilize the energy potential of the fuel, or reduce the environmental impacts and proliferation concerns about the discarded fuel materials. Nuclear fuel cycle systems analysis is applied in this paper to attain a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of fuel cycle alternatives. Through the use of the nuclear fuel cycle analysis code CAFCA (Code for Advanced Fuel Cycle Analysis, the impact of a number of recycling technologies and the associated fuel cycle options is explored in the context of the U.S. energy scenario over 100 years. Particular focus is given to the quantification of Uranium utilization, the amount of Transuranic Material (TRU generated and the economics of the different options compared to the base-line case, the OTC option. It is concluded that LWRs and the OTC are likely to dominate the nuclear energy supply system for the period considered due to limitations on availability of TRU to initiate recycling technologies. While the introduction of U-235 initiated fast reactors can accelerate their penetration of the nuclear energy system, their higher capital cost may lead to continued preference for the LWR-OTC cycle.

  14. Advanced fuel cycles for WWER-1000 reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Semchenkov, Y. M.; Pavlovichev, A. M.; Pavlov, V. I.; Spirkin, E. I.; Styrin, Y. A.; Kosourov, E. K.

    2007-01-01

    Main stages of Russian uranium fuel development regarding improvement of safety and economics of fuel load operation are presented. Intervals of possible changes in fuel cycle duration have been demonstrated for the use of current and perspective fuel. Examples of equilibrium fuel load patterns have been demonstrated and main core neutronics parameters have been presented. Problems on the use of axial blankets with reduced enrichment in WWER-1000 fuel assemblies are considered. Some results are presented regarding core neutronic characteristics of WWER-1000 at the use of regenerated uranium and uranium-plutonium fuel. Examples of equilibrium fuel cycles for the core partially loaded with MOX fuel from weapon-grade plutonium are also considered (Authors)

  15. Exergy analysis of helium liquefaction systems based on modified Claude cycle with two-expanders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Rijo Jacob; Ghosh, Parthasarathi; Chowdhury, Kanchan

    2011-06-01

    Large-scale helium liquefaction systems, being energy-intensive, demand judicious selection of process parameters. An effective tool for design and analysis of thermodynamic cycles for these systems is exergy analysis, which is used to study the behavior of a helium liquefaction system based on modified Claude cycle. Parametric evaluation using process simulator Aspen HYSYS® helps to identify the effects of cycle pressure ratio and expander flow fraction on the exergetic efficiency of the liquefaction cycle. The study computes the distribution of losses at different refrigeration stages of the cycle and helps in selecting optimum cycle pressures, operating temperature levels of expanders and mass flow rates through them. Results from the analysis may help evolving guidelines for designing appropriate thermodynamic cycles for practical helium liquefaction systems.

  16. On response time and cycle time distributions in a two-stage cyclic queue

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boxma, O.J.; Donk, P.

    1982-01-01

    We consider a two-stage closed cyclic queueing model. For the case of an exponential server at each queue we derive the joint distribution of the successive response times of a custumer at both queues, using a reversibility argument. This joint distribution turns out to have a product form. The

  17. Stochastic Real-World Drive Cycle Generation Based on a Two Stage Markov Chain Approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Balau, A.E.; Kooijman, D.; Vazquez Rodarte, I.; Ligterink, N.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a methodology and tool that stochastically generates drive cycles based on measured data, with the purpose of testing and benchmarking light duty vehicles in a simulation environment or on a test-bench. The WLTP database, containing real world driving measurements, was used as

  18. Role of radiologists in CAD life-cycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pietka, Ewa, E-mail: ewa.pietka@polsl.pl [Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, ul. Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice (Poland); Kawa, Jacek, E-mail: jacek.kawa@polsl.pl [Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, ul. Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice (Poland); Spinczyk, Dominik, E-mail: dominik.spinczyk@polsl.pl [Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, ul. Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice (Poland); Badura, Pawel, E-mail: pawel.badura@polsl.pl [Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, ul. Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice (Poland); Wieclawek, Wojciech, E-mail: wojciech.wieclawek@polsl.pl [Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, ul. Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice (Poland); Czajkowska, Joanna, E-mail: joanna.czajkowska@polsl.pl [Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, ul. Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice (Poland); Rudzki, Marcin, E-mail: marcin.rudzki@polsl.pl [Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, ul. Akademicka 16, 44-100 Gliwice (Poland)

    2011-05-15

    A modern CAD (computer-aided diagnosis) system development involves a multidisciplinary team whose members are experts in medical and technical fields. This study indicates the activities of medical experts at various stages of the CAD design, testing, and implementation. Those stages include a medical analysis of the diagnostic problem, data collection, image analysis, evaluation, and clinical verification. At each stage the physicians knowledge and experience are indispensable. The final implementation involves integration with the existing Picture Archiving and Communication System. The term CAD life-cycle describes an overall process of the design, testing, and implementation of a system that in its final form assists the radiologists in their daily clinical routine. Four CAD systems (applied to the bone age assessment, Multiple Sclerosis detection, lung nodule detection, and pneumothorax measurement) developed in our laboratory are given as examples of how consecutive stages are developed by the multidisciplinary team. Specific advantages of the CAD implementation that include the daily clinical routine as well as research and education activities are discussed.

  19. Role of radiologists in CAD life-cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pietka, Ewa; Kawa, Jacek; Spinczyk, Dominik; Badura, Pawel; Wieclawek, Wojciech; Czajkowska, Joanna; Rudzki, Marcin

    2011-01-01

    A modern CAD (computer-aided diagnosis) system development involves a multidisciplinary team whose members are experts in medical and technical fields. This study indicates the activities of medical experts at various stages of the CAD design, testing, and implementation. Those stages include a medical analysis of the diagnostic problem, data collection, image analysis, evaluation, and clinical verification. At each stage the physicians knowledge and experience are indispensable. The final implementation involves integration with the existing Picture Archiving and Communication System. The term CAD life-cycle describes an overall process of the design, testing, and implementation of a system that in its final form assists the radiologists in their daily clinical routine. Four CAD systems (applied to the bone age assessment, Multiple Sclerosis detection, lung nodule detection, and pneumothorax measurement) developed in our laboratory are given as examples of how consecutive stages are developed by the multidisciplinary team. Specific advantages of the CAD implementation that include the daily clinical routine as well as research and education activities are discussed.

  20. Calibration of Nanopositioning Stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ning Tan

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Accuracy is one of the most important criteria for the performance evaluation of micro- and nanorobots or systems. Nanopositioning stages are used to achieve the high positioning resolution and accuracy for a wide and growing scope of applications. However, their positioning accuracy and repeatability are not well known and difficult to guarantee, which induces many drawbacks for many applications. For example, in the mechanical characterisation of biological samples, it is difficult to perform several cycles in a repeatable way so as not to induce negative influences on the study. It also prevents one from controlling accurately a tool with respect to a sample without adding additional sensors for closed loop control. This paper aims at quantifying the positioning repeatability and accuracy based on the ISO 9283:1998 standard, and analyzing factors influencing positioning accuracy onto a case study of 1-DoF (Degree-of-Freedom nanopositioning stage. The influence of thermal drift is notably quantified. Performances improvement of the nanopositioning stage are then investigated through robot calibration (i.e., open-loop approach. Two models (static and adaptive models are proposed to compensate for both geometric errors and thermal drift. Validation experiments are conducted over a long period (several days showing that the accuracy of the stage is improved from typical micrometer range to 400 nm using the static model and even down to 100 nm using the adaptive model. In addition, we extend the 1-DoF calibration to multi-DoF with a case study of a 2-DoF nanopositioning robot. Results demonstrate that the model efficiently improved the 2D accuracy from 1400 nm to 200 nm.

  1. CSNI Technical Opinion Papers No. 15 - Ageing management of nuclear fuel cycle facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nocture, Pierre; Daubard, Jean-Paul; Lhomme, Veronique; Martineau, Dominique; Blundell, Neil; Conte, Dorothee; Dobson, Martin; Gmal, Bernhard; Hiltz, Thomas; Ueda, Yoshinori

    2012-01-01

    Managing the ageing of fuel cycle facilities (FCFs) means, as for other nuclear installations, ensuring the availability of required safety functions throughout their service life while taking into account the changes that occur with time and use. This technical opinion paper identifies a set of good practices by benchmarking strategies and good practices on coping with physical ageing and obsolescence from the facility design stage until decommissioning. It should be of particular interest to nuclear safety regulators, fuel cycle facilities operators and fuel cycle researchers [fr

  2. Inducible nucleotide excision repair (NER) of UV-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in the cell cycle of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae: evidence that inducible NER is confined to the G1 phase of the mitotic cell cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scott, A.D.; Waters, R.

    1997-01-01

    We previously reported on an inducible component of nucleotide excision repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that is controlled by the RAD16 gene. Here we describe a study of this event at the MAT alpha and HML alpha mating-type loci and on the transcribed (TS) and nontranscribed (NTS) strands of the RAD16 gene. Events were examined at various stages of the mitotic cycle in cells synchronised by centrifugal elutriation. Repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) following a single UV dose does not vary significantly in different stages of the mitotic cell cycle. CPDs are removed more rapidly from the transcriptionally active MAT alpha locus than from the silent HML alpha locus, and the TS of RAD16 is repaired faster than the NTS in all stages of the cycle following a single UV irradiation. Enhanced excision of CPDs at MAT alpha and HML alpha can be induced only in the G1 and early S stages of the cell cycle. Here prior irradiation of cells with 25 J/m 2 enhances the removal of CPDs following a second UV dose of 70 J/m 2 . The level of enhancement of repair does not differ significantly between MAT alpha and HML alpha in G1. Enhanced removal of CPDs is absent when cells receive the inducing dose in late S or G2/M. Repair of CPDs in both strands of RAD16 is similarly enhanced only if cells receive the initial irradiation in G1 and early S. The level of enhanced removal of CPDs is not significantly different in the TS and NTS of RAD16 either in asynchronous cells or in cells preirradiated in G1 and early S. It has been shown by others that UV-induced expression of RAD16 remains at high levels if cells are held in G1 by treatment with alpha factor. Therefore the increase in RAD16 transcript levels in G1 may be responsible for the ability to enhance NER solely in this stage of the cell cycle

  3. Electron-microscopic characteristics of neuroendocrine neurons in the amygdaloid body of the brain in male rats and female rats at different stages of the estral cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhmadeev, A V; Kalimullina, L B

    2008-01-01

    The ultrastructural features of neuroendocrine neurons in the dorsomedial nucleus (DMN) of the amygdaloid body of the brain - one of the major zones of sexual dimorphism - in 12 Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g were studied in three males and nine females at different stages of the estral cycle. On the basis of ultrastructural characteristics, analysis of the functional states of an average of 50 DMN neurons were studied in each animal. A morphofunctional classification reflecting hormone-dependent variations in neuron activity is proposed. DMN neurons were found to be in different structural-functional states, which could be classified as the states of rest, moderate activity, elevated activity, tension (maximal activity), decreased activity (types 1 and 2, depending on prior history), return to the initial state, and apoptosis. At the estrus stage, there was a predominance of neurons in the states of elevated activity (40% of all cells) and maximal activity (26%). At the metestrus stage, neurons in the state of decreased activity type 1 (with increased nuclear heterochromatin content) predominated (30% of cells), while 25% and 20% of cells were in the states of maximal activity and elevated activity respectively. In diestrus, neurons in the resting state, in moderate and elevated activity, in maximal activity, and in decreased activity type 1 were present in essentially identical proportions (18%, 21%, 18%, 20%, and 16% respectively). In males, 35% and 22% of neurons were in the states of elevated and maximal activity respectively. Neuron death was seen only in males.

  4. Utilization of waste heat from GT-MHR for power generation in organic Rankine cycles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yari, Mortaza; Mahmoudi, S.M.S.

    2010-01-01

    The gas turbine-modular helium reactor (GT-MHR) is currently being developed by an international consortium. In this power plant, circulating helium that has to be compressed in a single or two successive stages cools the reactor core. For thermodynamic reasons, these compression stages require pre-cooling of the helium to about 26 deg. C through the use of intercooler and pre-cooler in which water is used to cool the helium. Considerable thermal energy (∼300 MWth) is thus dissipated in these components. This thermal energy is then rejected to a heat sink. For different designs, the temperature ranges of the helium in the intercooler and pre-cooler could be about 100 and 150 deg. C, respectively. These are ideal energy sources to be used in an organic Rankine cycles for power generation. This study examines the performance of a gas-cooled nuclear power plant with closed Brayton cycle (CBC) combined with two organic Rankine cycles (ORC). More attention was paid to the irreversibilities generated in the combined cycle. Individual models are developed for each component through applications of the first and second laws of thermodynamics. The effects of the turbine inlet temperature, compressor pressure ratio, evaporator temperature and temperature difference in the evaporator on the first- and second-law efficiencies and on the exergy destruction rate of the combined cycle were studied. Finally the combined cycle was optimized thermodynamically using the EES (Engineering Equation Solver) software. Based on identical operating conditions, a comparison between the GT-MHR/ORC and a simple GT-MHR cycle is also made. It was found that both the first- and second-law efficiencies of GT-MHR/ORC cycle are about 3%-points higher than that of the simple GT-MHR cycle. Also, the exergy destruction rate for GT-MHR/ORC cycle is about 5% lower than that of the GT-MHR cycle.

  5. INTERACTION BETWEEN MODELS OF THE LIFE CYCLE OF INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE AND CYCLE OF ITS REORGANIZATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chulkov Vitaliy Olegovich

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this scientific research is to develop a theoretical model of organizational and technology-related processes of reorganization of industrial enterprises, as well as their interaction. Multipoint logic notions of growth and interaction phases are used as research methods. The author describes the basic stages of reorganization, the life cycle of industrial enterprises and the cycle of their transformation. The processes are presented as an infographical image that represents a concentric model of interaction. This concentric model represents interaction between two or more phases. The process is entitled infografical modeling on the polyfunctional level. The concentric model moves both clockwise and anti-clockwise. Basic organizational and technological processes of reorganization of industrial enterprises that include decision making in terms of expediency of reorganization, design, construction, and performance of industrial enterprises at full capacity, and further operation of the industrial enterprise are described in the paper. Attainment of this objective, namely, reorganization of an industrial enterprise, involves a huge amount of resources, including labour resources that need interaction with all parties of reorganization; therefore, the concentric model of interaction describing the basic cycle of reorganization, the life cycle of an industrial enterprise and the cycle of its conversion is a trustworthy representation of this process. The proposed concentric model of interaction should be used in the design of organizational and technology-related processes for integrated consideration of reorganization of enterprises required to understand and improve the efficiency of reorganizations and to control the reorganization of industrial facilities.

  6. The Transcriptome of Leishmania major Developmental Stages in Their Natural Sand Fly Vector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inbar, Ehud; Hughitt, V Keith; Dillon, Laura A L; Ghosh, Kashinath; El-Sayed, Najib M; Sacks, David L

    2017-04-04

    The life cycle of the Leishmania parasite in the sand fly vector involves differentiation into several distinctive forms, each thought to represent an adaptation to specific microenvironments in the midgut of the fly. Based on transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) results, we describe the first high-resolution analysis of the transcriptome dynamics of four distinct stages of Leishmania major as they develop in a natural vector, Phlebotomus duboscqi The early transformation from tissue amastigotes to procyclic promastigotes in the blood-fed midgut was accompanied by the greatest number of differentially expressed genes, including the downregulation of amastins, and upregulation of multiple cell surface proteins, sugar and amino acid transporters, and genes related to glucose metabolism and cell cycle progression. The global changes accompanying post-blood meal differentiation of procyclic promastigotes to the nectomonad and metacyclic stages were less extensive, though each displayed a unique signature. The transcriptome of nectomonads, which has not been studied previously, revealed changes consistent with cell cycle arrest and the upregulation of genes associated with starvation and stress, including autophagic pathways of protein recycling. Maturation to the infective, metacyclic stage was accompanied by changes suggesting preadaptation to the intracellular environment of the mammalian host, demonstrated by the amastigote-like profiles of surface proteins and metabolism-related genes. Finally, a direct comparison between sand fly-derived and culture-derived metacyclics revealed a reassuring similarity between the two forms, with the in vivo forms distinguished mainly by a stronger upregulation of transcripts associated with nutrient stress. IMPORTANCE The life cycle of Leishmania parasites in the sand fly vector includes their growth and development as morphologically distinct forms of extracellular promastigotes found within the different microenvironments of the

  7. Methodologies for Social Life Cycle Assessment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Andreas; Le Bocq, Agathe; Nazakina, Liudmila

    2008-01-01

    Goal, Scope and Background. In recent years several different approaches towards Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) have been developed. The purpose of this review is to compare these approaches in order to highlight methodological differences and general shortcomings. SLCA has several similarit......Goal, Scope and Background. In recent years several different approaches towards Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) have been developed. The purpose of this review is to compare these approaches in order to highlight methodological differences and general shortcomings. SLCA has several...... similarities with other social assessment tools, but in order to limit the review, only claims to address social impacts from an LCA-like framework is considered. Main Features. The review is to a large extent based on conference proceedings and reports of which some are not easily accessible, since very...... stage in the product life cycle. Another very important difference among the proposals is their position towards the use of generic data. Several of the proposals argue that social impacts are connected to the conduct of the company leading to the conclusion that each individual company in the product...

  8. Effect of cell cycle stage, dose rate and repair of sublethal damage of radiation-induced apoptosis in F9 teratocarcinoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Langley, R.E.; Quartuccio, S.G.; Kennealey, P.T.

    1995-01-01

    There are at least two different models of cell death after treatment with ionizing radiation. The first is a failure to undergo sustained cell division despite metabolic survival, and we refer to this end point as open-quotes classical reproductive cell death.close quotes The second is a process that results in loss of cell integrity. This second category includes cellular necrosis as well as apoptosis. Earlier studies in our laboratory showed that the predominant mechanism of cell death for irradiated F9 cell is apoptosis, and there is no indication that these cells die by necrosis. We have therefore used cells of this cell line to reassess basic radiobiological principles with respect to apoptosis. Classical reproductive cell death was determined by staining colonies derived from irradiated cells and scoring colonies of less than 50 cells as reproductively dead and colonies of more than 50 cells as survivors. Cells that failed to produce either type of colony (detached from the plate or disintegrated) were scored as having undergone apoptosis. Using these criteria we found that the fraction of the radiation-killed F9 cells that died by apoptosis did not vary when cells were irradiated at different stages of the cell cycle despite large variations in overall survival. This suggests that the factors that influence radiation sensitivity throughout the cell cycle have an equal impact on apoptosis and classical reproductive cell death. There was no difference in cell survival between split doses and single doses of X rays, suggesting that sublethal damage repair is not a factor in radiation-induced apoptosis of F9 cells. Apoptosis was not affected by changes in dose rate in the range of 0.038-4.96 Gy/min. 48 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

  9. Evaluation of undeveloped rocket engine cycle applications to advanced transportation

    Science.gov (United States)

    1990-01-01

    Undeveloped pump-fed, liquid propellant rocket engine cycles were assessed and evaluated for application to Next Manned Transportation System (NMTS) vehicles, which would include the evolving Space Transportation System (STS Evolution), the Personnel Launch System (PLS), and the Advanced Manned Launch System (AMLS). Undeveloped engine cycles selected for further analysis had potential for increased reliability, more maintainability, reduced cost, and improved (or possibly level) performance when compared to the existing SSME and proposed STME engines. The split expander (SX) cycle, the full flow staged combustion (FFSC) cycle, and a hybrid version of the FFSC, which has a LOX expander drive for the LOX pump, were selected for definition and analysis. Technology requirements and issues were identified and analyses of vehicle systems weight deltas using the SX and FFSC cycles in AMLS vehicles were performed. A strawman schedule and cost estimate for FFSC subsystem technology developments and integrated engine system demonstration was also provided.

  10. Methods for Synchronization and Analysis of the Budding Yeast Cell Cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosebrock, Adam P

    2017-01-03

    Like other eukaryotes, budding yeast temporally separate cell growth and division. DNA synthesis is distinct from chromosome segregation. Storage carbohydrates are accumulated slowly and then rapidly liquidated once per cycle. Cyclin-dependent kinase associates with multiple different transcriptionally and posttranslationally regulated cyclins to drive the cell cycle. These and other crucial events of cellular growth and division are limited to narrow windows of the cell cycle. Many experiments in the yeast laboratory treat a culture of cells as a homogeneous mixture. Measurements of asynchronous cultures are, however, confounded by the presence of cells in various cell cycle stages; measuring a population average in unsynchronized cells provides at best a decreased signal and at worst an artifactual result. A number of experimentally tractable methods have been developed to generate populations of yeast cells that are synchronized with respect to cell cycle phase. Robust methods for determining cell cycle position have also been developed. These methods are introduced here. © 2017 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  11. Kinetics of coal liquefaction during heating-up and isothermal stages

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xian Li; Haoquan Hu; Shengwei Zhu; Shuxun Hu; Bo Wu; Meng Meng [Dalian University of Technology, Dalian (China). Institute of Coal Chemical Engineering

    2008-04-15

    Direct liquefaction of Shenhua bituminous coal was carried out in a 500 ml autoclave with iron catalyst and coal liquefaction cycle-oil as solvent at initial hydrogen of 8.0 MPa, residence time of 0-90 min. To investigate the liquefaction kinetics, a model for heating-up and isothermal stages was developed to estimate the rate constants of both stages. In the model, the coal was divided into three parts, easy reactive part, hard reactive part and unreactive part, and four kinetic constants were used to describe the reaction mechanism. The results showed that the model is valid for both heating-up and isothermal stages of liquefaction perfectly. The rate-controlled process for coal liquefaction is the reaction of preasphaltene plus asphaltene (PAA) to oil plus gas (O + G). The upper-limiting conversion of isothermal stage was estimated by the kinetic calculation. 21 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.

  12. Aspects of the morphology of the juvenile life stages of Paradiplozoon ichthyoxanthon Avenant-Oldewage, 2013 (Monogenea: Diplozoidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avenant-Oldewage, Annemariè; Milne, Simon John

    2014-06-01

    There are eight life stages in the life-cycle of Diplozoon paradoxum and limited knowledge of the life-cycle for other diplozoid genera exists. The aim of this study was to record the number of life-stages of Paradiplozoon ichthyoxanthon obtained from, Labeobarbus aeneus and Labeobarbus kimberlyensis, in the Vaal Dam from 2005 to 2007. Six larval life stages and one adult stage of P. ichtyoxanthon were identified from specimens collected in vitro and in situ. In vitro, eggs hatched after 21 days at 18°C. Eggs collected during winter were significantly larger than those laid during spring or summer. Paradiplozoon ichthyoxanthon oncomiracidia have peripheral eyes with pink pigmentation, a tubular anterior bladder-like structure, bicuspid basal pharynx valve and a branched digestive caecum and residual shell material or vitellaria in the caecum. Immature reproductive tissue connected to the ventral sucker and dorsal papillae were noted for the first time in diporpa. Large nervous ganglia and innervation of muscle were observed around the ventral sucker.

  13. Cell cycle arrest in the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis in larval diapause.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Yuta; Mukai, Ayumu; Goto, Shin G

    2018-04-01

    Insects enter diapause to synchronise their life cycle with biotic and abiotic environmental conditions favourable for their development, reproduction, and survival. One of the most noticeable characteristics of diapause is the blockage of ontogeny. Although this blockage should occur with the cessation of cellular proliferation, i.e. cell cycle arrest, it was confirmed only in a few insect species and information on the molecular pathways involved in cell cycle arrest is limited. In the present study, we investigated developmental and cell cycle arrest in diapause larvae of the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis. Developmental and cell cycle arrest occur in the early fourth instar larval stage of N. vitripennis under short days. By entering diapause, the S fraction of the cell cycle disappears and approximately 80% and 20% of cells arrest their cell cycle in the G0/G1 and G2 phases, respectively. We further investigated expression of cell cycle regulatory genes and some housekeeping genes to dissect molecular mechanisms underlying the cell cycle arrest. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Expression of aquaporin-7 and aquaporin-9 in tanycyte cells and choroid plexus during mouse estrus cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yaba, A; Sozen, B; Suzen, B; Demir, N

    2017-03-01

    Tanycytes are special ependymal cells located in the ventrolateral wall and floor of the third ventricle having processes extending nuclei that regulate reproductive functions and around of vessels in median eminance. The aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of transmembrane proteins that transport water and glycerol. AQP-7 and -9 are permeable to other small molecules as glycerol and therefore called aquaglyceroporins. In this study, we aimed to show localization of AQP-7 and -9 in epithelial cells of choroid plexus and tanycytes during female mouse estrus cycle. AQP-7 and -9 proteins were detected in α2 and β1 tanycytes in prœstrus stage. Interestingly, there is no staining in estrus stage in any type of tanycytes. We observed weak immunoreactivity in α1, α2 and β1 tanycyte cells in metestrus stage for AQP-7 and α1 for AQP-9 protein. AQP-7 and -9 showed intense immunoreactivity in α2, β1 and β2 tanycyte cells during diestrus stage. Consequently, AQP-7 and -9 showed differential staining pattern in different stages of mouse estrus cycle. In the light of our findings and other recent publications, we suggest that AQP-7 and -9-mediated glycerol transport in tanycyte cells might be under hormonal control to use glycerol as a potential energy substrate during mouse estrus cycle. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  15. Collagen and Glycosaminoglycan Profiles in the Canine Cervix during Different Stages of the Estrous Cycle and in Open- and Closed-Cervix Pyometra

    Science.gov (United States)

    LINHARATTANARUKSA, Pichanun; SRISUWATANASAGUL, Sayamon; PONGLOWHAPAN, Suppawiwat; KHALID, Muhammad; CHATDARONG, Kaywalee

    2013-01-01

    ABSTRACT The extracellular matrix of the cervix that comprises collagen, elastin, proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) is thought to have an essential role in cervical relaxation. This study investigated the proportion of collagen and smooth muscle as well as the GAGs in cervices obtained from healthy bitches at different stages of the estrous cycle and bitches with open- and closed-cervix pyometra. Cervices were collected after ovariohysterectomy. The proportion of collagen to smooth muscle was determined using Masson’s trichrome staining. Alcian blue staining was used to evaluate the relative distribution of cervical GAGs. The proportion of cervical collagen relative to smooth muscle was higher at estrus compared to anestrus (P≤0.05). It was also higher (P≤0.05) in bitches with open- compared to those with closed-cervix pyometra. Overall, hyaluronan (HA) was the predominant GAG in the canine cervix. In the luminal epithelium, the staining intensity for HA was stronger in estrus than in anestrus (P≤0.05), but not in diestrus (P>0.05). On the contrary, the intensity for the combined keratan sulfate (KS) and heparan sulfate (HS) was stronger in anestrus than in estrus and diestrus (P≤0.05). In bitches with pyometra, the staining intensity of the stroma for KS and HS was weaker in open- compared to closed-cervix pyometra (P≤0.05). Collectively, the different profiles of collagen and GAG suggest that the metabolism of both collagen and GAGs in the canine cervix is associated with hormonal statuses during the estrous cycle and cervical patency of bitches with pathological uterine conditions, such as pyometra. PMID:24152876

  16. Double Girder Bridge Crane with Double Cycling: Scheduling Strategy and Performance Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dandan Wang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper introduces a novel quay crane design, double girder bridge crane (DGBC. DGBC is capable of handling containers of two adjacent bays simultaneously, avoiding crane collisions, saving travelling and reposition cost, and eventually improving terminal efficiency. This problem is formulated as a resource-constrained project scheduling with objective to minimize the maximum completion time. A two-stage heuristic algorithm is proposed in which an operating sequences on each bay is obtained by double cycling, and the integrated timetable for both bays is constructed by solving resource conflicts using the proposed minimum cost strategy. We examine effectiveness and performance of applying DGBC with double cycling. A case study is presented to illustrate how DGBC works with the two-stage method. Three extreme cases with respective conflict types are investigated to develop the performance bounds of DGBC with double cycling. The results show that DGBC can significantly improve terminal productivity, and outperforms single girder crane in both makespan and the lift operation percentage. The highest DGBC efficiency does not require maximum double cycles in two bay schedules; rather the integrated timetable for two bays is the main contribution to the DGBC performance as it yields better cooperation between two spreaders and the driver.

  17. Vital and dispensable roles of Plasmodium multidrug resistance transporters during blood- and mosquito-stage development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rijpma, Sanna R; van der Velden, Maarten; Annoura, Takeshi; Matz, Joachim M; Kenthirapalan, Sanketha; Kooij, Taco W A; Matuschewski, Kai; van Gemert, Geert-Jan; van de Vegte-Bolmer, Marga; Siebelink-Stoter, Rianne; Graumans, Wouter; Ramesar, Jai; Klop, Onny; Russel, Frans G M; Sauerwein, Robert W; Janse, Chris J; Franke-Fayard, Blandine M; Koenderink, Jan B

    2016-07-01

    Multidrug resistance (MDR) proteins belong to the B subfamily of the ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters, which export a wide range of compounds including pharmaceuticals. In this study, we used reverse genetics to study the role of all seven Plasmodium MDR proteins during the life cycle of malaria parasites. Four P. berghei genes (encoding MDR1, 4, 6 and 7) were refractory to deletion, indicating a vital role during blood stage multiplication and validating them as potential targets for antimalarial drugs. Mutants lacking expression of MDR2, MDR3 and MDR5 were generated in both P. berghei and P. falciparum, indicating a dispensable role for blood stage development. Whereas P. berghei mutants lacking MDR3 and MDR5 had a reduced blood stage multiplication in vivo, blood stage growth of P. falciparum mutants in vitro was not significantly different. Oocyst maturation and sporozoite formation in Plasmodium mutants lacking MDR2 or MDR5 was reduced. Sporozoites of these P. berghei mutants were capable of infecting mice and life cycle completion, indicating the absence of vital roles during liver stage development. Our results demonstrate vital and dispensable roles of MDR proteins during blood stages and an important function in sporogony for MDR2 and MDR5 in both Plasmodium species. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Sea urchin akt activity is Runx-dependent and required for post-cleavage stage cell division

    KAUST Repository

    Robertson, Anthony J.

    2013-03-25

    In animal development following the initial cleavage stage of embryogenesis, the cell cycle becomes dependent on intercellular signaling and controlled by the genomically encoded ontogenetic program. Runx transcription factors are critical regulators of metazoan developmental signaling, and we have shown that the sea urchin Runx gene runt-1, which is globally expressed during early embryogenesis, functions in support of blastula stage cell proliferation and expression of the mitogenic genes pkc1, cyclinD, and several wnts. To obtain a more comprehensive list of early runt-1 regulatory targets, we screened a Strongylocentrotus purpuratus microarray to identify genes mis-expressed in mid-blastula stage runt-1 morphants. This analysis showed that loss of Runx function perturbs the expression of multiple genes involved in cell division, including the pro-growth and survival kinase Akt (PKB), which is significantly underexpressed in runt-1 morphants. Further genomic analysis revealed that Akt is encoded by two genes in the S. purpuratus genome, akt-1 and akt-2, both of which contain numerous canonical Runx target sequences. The transcripts of both genes accumulate several fold during blastula stage, contingent on runt-1 expression. Inhibiting Akt expression or activity causes blastula stage cell cycle arrest, whereas overexpression of akt-1 mRNA rescues cell proliferation in runt-1 morphants. These results indicate that post-cleavage stage cell division requires Runx-dependent expression of akt.

  19. Sea urchin akt activity is Runx-dependent and required for post-cleavage stage cell division

    KAUST Repository

    Robertson, Anthony J.; Coluccio, Alison; Jensen, Sarah; Rydlizky, Katarina; Coffman, James A.

    2013-01-01

    In animal development following the initial cleavage stage of embryogenesis, the cell cycle becomes dependent on intercellular signaling and controlled by the genomically encoded ontogenetic program. Runx transcription factors are critical regulators of metazoan developmental signaling, and we have shown that the sea urchin Runx gene runt-1, which is globally expressed during early embryogenesis, functions in support of blastula stage cell proliferation and expression of the mitogenic genes pkc1, cyclinD, and several wnts. To obtain a more comprehensive list of early runt-1 regulatory targets, we screened a Strongylocentrotus purpuratus microarray to identify genes mis-expressed in mid-blastula stage runt-1 morphants. This analysis showed that loss of Runx function perturbs the expression of multiple genes involved in cell division, including the pro-growth and survival kinase Akt (PKB), which is significantly underexpressed in runt-1 morphants. Further genomic analysis revealed that Akt is encoded by two genes in the S. purpuratus genome, akt-1 and akt-2, both of which contain numerous canonical Runx target sequences. The transcripts of both genes accumulate several fold during blastula stage, contingent on runt-1 expression. Inhibiting Akt expression or activity causes blastula stage cell cycle arrest, whereas overexpression of akt-1 mRNA rescues cell proliferation in runt-1 morphants. These results indicate that post-cleavage stage cell division requires Runx-dependent expression of akt.

  20. Early Chemotherapy Intensification With Escalated BEACOPP in Patients With Advanced-Stage Hodgkin Lymphoma With a Positive Interim Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Scan After Two ABVD Cycles: Long-Term Results of the GITIL/FIL HD 0607 Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallamini, Andrea; Tarella, Corrado; Viviani, Simonetta; Rossi, Andrea; Patti, Caterina; Mulé, Antonino; Picardi, Marco; Romano, Alessandra; Cantonetti, Maria; La Nasa, Giorgio; Trentin, Livio; Bolis, Silvia; Rapezzi, Davide; Battistini, Roberta; Gottardi, Daniela; Gavarotti, Paolo; Corradini, Paolo; Cimminiello, Michele; Schiavotto, Corrado; Parvis, Guido; Zanotti, Roberta; Gini, Guido; Ferreri, Andrés J M; Viero, Piera; Miglino, Maurizio; Billio, Atto; Avigdor, Abraham; Biggi, Alberto; Fallanca, Federico; Ficola, Umberto; Gregianin, Michele; Chiaravalloti, Agostino; Prosperini, Giuseppe; Bergesio, Fabrizio; Chauvie, Stephane; Pavoni, Chiara; Gianni, Alessandro Massimo; Rambaldi, Alessandro

    2018-02-10

    Purpose To investigate the progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) after a risk-adapted treatment strategy that was based on a positive positron emission tomography scan performed after two doxorubicin, vinblastine, vincristine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) cycles (PET2). Patients and Methods Patients with advanced-stage (IIB to IVB) HL were consecutively enrolled. After two ABVD cycles, PET2 was performed and centrally reviewed according to the Deauville five-point scale. Patients with a positive PET2 were randomly assigned to four cycles of escalated bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (BEACOPP) followed by four cycles of standard BEACOPP with or without rituximab. Patients with a negative PET2 continued ABVD, and those with a large nodal mass at diagnosis (≥ 5 cm) in complete remission with a negative PET at the end of chemotherapy were randomly assigned to radiotherapy or no further treatment. The primary end point was 3-year PFS. Results Of 782 enrolled patients, 150 (19%) had a positive and 630 (81%) a negative PET2. The 3-year PFS of all patients was 82%. The 3-year PFS of those with a positive and negative PET2 was 60% and 87%, respectively ( P < .001). The 3-year PFS of patients with a positive PET2 assigned to BEACOPP with or without rituximab was 63% versus 57% ( P = .53). In 296 patients with both interim and post-ABVD-negative PET who had a large nodal mass at diagnosis, radiotherapy was randomly added after chemotherapy without a significant PFS improvement (97% v 93%, respectively; P = .29). The 3-year overall survival of all 782 patients was 97% (99% and 89% for PET2 negative and positive, respectively). Conclusion The PET-driven switch from ABVD to escalated BEACOPP is feasible and effective in high-risk patients with advanced-stage HL.

  1. The Life Cycle CO2 (LCCO2 Evaluation of Retrofits for Water-Saving Fittings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasutoshi Shimizu

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available As part of measures being taken against global warming, the reduction of CO2 emissions by retrofitting for water-saving fittings in homes is spreading throughout the world. However, although this retrofitting reduces the environmental impact at the use stage, it generates new impacts at the production and disposal stages. In addition, there has been little research that discusses the reduction in environmental impact obtained by retrofitting from the viewpoint of the overall life cycle of such fittings. In this paper, an evaluation of the environmental impact of retrofitting in terms of the entire life cycle was carried out for toilet bowls and showerheads. The findings show that even for a toilet bowl that generates a large environmental load at the production stage, there is no overall increase in the environmental impact by retrofitting for the average usable life of 20 years.

  2. CYCLES AND CRISES: HISTORY AND MODERNITY (THE RESULTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL NOBEL ECONOMIC FORUM)

    OpenAIRE

    Borys I.KHOLOD; Anatoly O.ZADOYA

    2009-01-01

    The paper analysis the main features of crisis phenomena in the early 21st century taking into consideration the overlapping stages of different types of business cycle (short and medium terms). The authors evaluate different kinds of economic cycles from the viewpoint of both history and modernity on the basis of opinions formulated during the International Nobel Economic Forum ôWord Economy in the 21th Century: Cycles and Crisesö (held in September 2008 at Dnipropetrovsk, University of Econ...

  3. A staging scheme for the development of the scuttle fly Megaselia abdita.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karl R Wotton

    Full Text Available Model organisms, such as Drosophila melanogaster, provide powerful experimental tools for the study of development. However, approaches using model systems need to be complemented by comparative studies for us to gain a deeper understanding of the functional properties and evolution of developmental processes. New model organisms need to be established to enable such comparative work. The establishment of new model system requires a detailed description of its life cycle and development. The resulting staging scheme is essential for providing morphological context for molecular studies, and allows us to homologise developmental processes between species. In this paper, we provide a staging scheme and morphological characterisation of the life cycle for an emerging non-drosophilid dipteran model system: the scuttle fly Megaselia abdita. We pay particular attention to early embryogenesis (cleavage and blastoderm stages up to gastrulation, the formation and retraction of extraembryonic tissues, and the determination and formation of germ (pole cells. Despite the large evolutionary distance between the two species (approximately 150 million years, we find that M. abdita development is remarkably similar to D. melanogaster in terms of developmental landmarks and their relative timing.

  4. Combined cycle simulator with gas turbine and steam turbine with one vaporization stage; Simulador de ciclo combinado con turbina de gas y de vapor con un nivel de vaporizacion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Del Valle Cardenas, B.; Lugo Leyte, R. [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Depto de Ingenieria de Procesos e Hidraulica, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico); Toledo Velazquez, Miguel; Tolentino Eslava, G. [Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Laboratorio de Ingenieria Termica e Hidraulica Aplicada, ESIME-IPN-COFFA, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico)

    1998-12-31

    This paper shows the thermal analysis of a combined cycle with gas and steam turbines with one vaporization stage. The analysis is performed through a computer program, which allows the simulation of cycles with different operational conditions, obtaining this way a series of results that permits to know the way these cycles behave in effecting temperature and pressure changes; besides of being an excellent tool in thermodynamics for the user. The simulators were performed in Borland C++ and Builder C++ Versions 4.5 and 2.0 respectively, creating in this way a friendly ambient for the user. This tool offers the opportunity to all its users the ability to simulate combined cycles in a fast and easy way in order to obtain a wider understanding of its thermodynamic behavior. [Espanol] En el presente trabajo se muestra el analisis termico de un ciclo combinado con turbinas de gas y de vapor con un nivel de vaporizacion. El analisis se realiza a traves de un programa de computo, el cual permite simular los ciclos con diferentes condiciones de operacion, obteniendo con esto una serie de resultados que permiten conocer la forma en que trabajan estos ciclos al realizar cambios en temperaturas y presiones; ademas de que es una excelente herramienta para el usuario en termodinamica. Los simuladores fueron realizados en Borland C++ y Builder C++ Versiones 4.5 y 2.0 respectivamente, creandose asi un ambiente amigable para el usuario. Esta herramienta brinda la oportunidad a todos los usuarios de poder simular ciclos combinados de una manera rapida y sencilla con el fin de obtener una comprension mas amplia de su comportamiento termodinamico.

  5. Combined cycle simulator with gas turbine and steam turbine with one vaporization stage; Simulador de ciclo combinado con turbina de gas y de vapor con un nivel de vaporizacion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Del Valle Cardenas, B; Lugo Leyte, R [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Depto de Ingenieria de Procesos e Hidraulica, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico); Toledo Velazquez, Miguel; Tolentino Eslava, G [Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Laboratorio de Ingenieria Termica e Hidraulica Aplicada, ESIME-IPN-COFFA, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico)

    1999-12-31

    This paper shows the thermal analysis of a combined cycle with gas and steam turbines with one vaporization stage. The analysis is performed through a computer program, which allows the simulation of cycles with different operational conditions, obtaining this way a series of results that permits to know the way these cycles behave in effecting temperature and pressure changes; besides of being an excellent tool in thermodynamics for the user. The simulators were performed in Borland C++ and Builder C++ Versions 4.5 and 2.0 respectively, creating in this way a friendly ambient for the user. This tool offers the opportunity to all its users the ability to simulate combined cycles in a fast and easy way in order to obtain a wider understanding of its thermodynamic behavior. [Espanol] En el presente trabajo se muestra el analisis termico de un ciclo combinado con turbinas de gas y de vapor con un nivel de vaporizacion. El analisis se realiza a traves de un programa de computo, el cual permite simular los ciclos con diferentes condiciones de operacion, obteniendo con esto una serie de resultados que permiten conocer la forma en que trabajan estos ciclos al realizar cambios en temperaturas y presiones; ademas de que es una excelente herramienta para el usuario en termodinamica. Los simuladores fueron realizados en Borland C++ y Builder C++ Versiones 4.5 y 2.0 respectivamente, creandose asi un ambiente amigable para el usuario. Esta herramienta brinda la oportunidad a todos los usuarios de poder simular ciclos combinados de una manera rapida y sencilla con el fin de obtener una comprension mas amplia de su comportamiento termodinamico.

  6. Cross checking of the new capabilities of the fuel cycle scenario code TR-EVOL - 5229

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merino-Rodriguez, I.; Garcia-Martinez, M.; Alvarez-Velarde, F.

    2015-01-01

    This work is intended to cross check the new capabilities of the fuel cycle scenario code TR-EVOL by means of comparing its results with those published in bibliography. This process has been divided in two stages as follows. The first stage is dedicated to check the improvements in the material management part of the fuel cycle code (the nuclear fuel mass balance estimation). The Spanish nuclear fuel cycle has been chosen as the model for the mass balance comparison given that the fuel mass per reactor is available in bibliography. The second stage has been focused in verifying the validity of the TR-EVOL economic module. The economic model verification has been carried out by making use of the ARCAS EU project and its economic assessments for advanced reactors and scenarios involving fast reactors and ADS. As conclusions, the main finding from the first stage includes that TR-EVOL provides a prediction of mass values quite accurate after the improvements and when using the proper parameters as input for the code. For the second stage, results were highly satisfactory since a difference smaller than 3% can be found regarding results published by the ARCAS project (NRG estimations). Furthermore, concerning the Decommissioning, Dismantling and Disposal cost, results are highly acceptable (7% difference in the comparison with the final disposal in a once-through scenario and around 11% in a final disposal with a reprocessing strategy) given the difficulties to find in bibliography detailed information about the costs of the final disposals and the significant uncertainties involved in design concepts and related unit costs

  7. Integration of Social Aspects in Decision Support, Based on Life Cycle Thinking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pere Fullana-i-Palmer

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Recently increasing attention has been paid to complementing environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA with social aspects. The paper discusses the selection of social impacts and indicators from existing frameworks like Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA and Social Impact Assessment (SIA. Two ongoing case studies, addressing sustainability assessment within decision support, were considered: (1 Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM in Indonesia; and (2 Integrated Packaging Waste Management in Spain and Portugal (FENIX. The focus was put on social impacts occurring due to decisions within these systems, such as choice of technologies, practices or suppliers. Thus, decision makers—here understood as intended users of the studies’ results—are not consumers that buy (or do not buy a product, such as in recent SLCA case-studies, but mainly institutions that decide about the design of the water or packaging waste management system. Therefore, in the FENIX project, a list of social impacts identified from literature was sent to the intended users to be ranked according to their priorities. Finally, the paper discusses to what extent the entire life cycle is reflected in SLCA impact categories and indicators, and explains how both life-cycle and on-site-related social impacts were chosen to be assessed. However, not all indicators in the two projects will assess all stages of the life cycle, because of their varying relevance in the different stages, data availability and practical interest of decision makers.

  8. Romanian nuclear fuel cycle development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rapeanu, S.N.; Comsa, Olivia

    1998-01-01

    Romanian decision to introduce nuclear power was based on the evaluation of electricity demand and supply as well as a domestic resources assessment. The option was the introduction of CANDU-PHWR through a license agreement with AECL Canada. The major factors in this choice have been the need of diversifying the energy resources, the improvement the national industry and the independence of foreign suppliers. Romanian Nuclear Power Program envisaged a large national participation in Cernavoda NPP completion, in the development of nuclear fuel cycle facilities and horizontal industry, in R and D and human resources. As consequence, important support was being given to development of industries involved in Nuclear Fuel Cycle and manufacturing of equipment and nuclear materials based on technology transfer, implementation of advanced design execution standards, QA procedures and current nuclear safety requirements at international level. Unit 1 of the first Romanian nuclear power plant, Cernavoda NPP with a final profile 5x700 Mw e, is now in operation and its production represents 10% of all national electricity production. There were also developed all stages of FRONT END of Nuclear Fuel Cycle as well as programs for spent fuel and waste management. Industrial facilities for uranian production, U 3 O 8 concentrate, UO 2 powder and CANDU fuel bundles, as well as heavy water plant, supply the required fuel and heavy water for Cernavoda NPP. The paper presents the Romanian activities in Nuclear Fuel Cycle and waste management fields. (authors)

  9. Glycogen distribution in porcine fallopian tube epithelium during the estrus cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gregoraszczuk, E Ł; Cała, M; Witkowska, E

    2000-01-01

    Histochemical features of two different parts of the porcine Fallopian tube have been studied, with special reference to cyclic changes in the distribution of glycogen particles. Porcine Fallopian tubes were obtained from a local slaughterhouse. Slides were studied under light microscopy utilising histological and histochemical techniques. The most striking feature during the periovulatory stage of the estrus cycle was the occurrence of glycogen granules in the apical cytoplasm of epithelial cells in both the ampulla and isthmus of the Fallopian tubes. In the isthmus, cells containing numerous granules of polysaccharides aggregated into areas of different sizes were noted after ovulation. During the midluteal phase their number was minimal or were even absent. In the ampula typical extrusion of secretory granules and nuclei protruding into the tubal lumen was visible after ovulation. In the luteal phase a lot of nuclei protruded into the tubal lumen and some free in the lumen were noted. It is possible that glycogen in the preovulatory stage functions as a source of energy for ciliary movement and as a nourishment for the ovum. In the isthmus large number of aggregated glycogen particles was observed also after ovulation. In this stage of the cycle, numerous granules of polysaccharide aggregated in isthmus epithelium could be the major energy source for embriogenesis when the embryo travels down the Fallopian tubes, during the early cleavage stage.

  10. Externalities of fuel cycles 'ExternE' project. Hydro fuel cycle. Estimation of physical impacts and monetary valuation for priority impact pathways

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Navrud, S.; Riise, J.; Strand, J.

    1994-01-01

    The aim of the External Costs of Fuel Cycles (ExternE) study is to develop methods to measure and monetize all the externalities associated with incremental investments in electric power production, taking account of the different stages of the fuel cycles. Since fuel cycle externalities are characterised by being very site-specific, the impact pathway damage function approach, developed in ExternE, has been implemented in different European countries for each of the selected fuel cycles. This is done to demonstrate that this methodological framework can be used at different locations, to motivate further development of the methods, and to look at the sensitivity of the estimates to different locations. Electricite de France (EdF) in France and ENCO Environmental Consultants a.s. in Norway have taken on a joint responsibility for adapting the methodological framework for hydroelectric fuel cycle analyses in Europe. We report the first implementation of the hydroelectric fuel cycle within ExternE. Choice of reference site and technology Two stages of the hydroelectric fuel cycle have been identified: 1. Electricity generation 2. Transmission There are three phases of each of these stages: construction, operation and dismantling. We have assumed a construction period of 5 years (starting in 1990) and an operation period of 40 years. Dismantling after 40 years is not a realistic option. Therefore, we have focused on the construction and operation phases, of both electricity generation and transmission. The Sauda Hydroelectric Development Project (SHDP) was selected, because it illustrates upgrading and extention of an existing hydro power project. Such projects are likely to be the dominating strategy for future hydroelectric development in Norway, many other European countries and in the U.S., due to the lack of new sites available for development. SHDP consists of an extention of a previously developed area (Basis project) and six new diversion projects. The

  11. Techno-environmental assessment of the green biorefinery concept: Combining process simulation and life cycle assessment at an early design stage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corona, Andrea; Ambye-Jensen, Morten; Vega, Giovanna Croxatto; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky; Birkved, Morten

    2018-09-01

    The Green biorefinery (GBR) is a biorefinery concept that converts fresh biomass into value-added products. The present study combines a Process Flowsheet Simulation (PFS) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the technical and environmental performance of different GBR configurations and the cascading utilization of the GBR output. The GBR configurations considered in this study, test alternatives in the three main steps of green-biorefining: fractionation, precipitation, and protein separation. The different cascade utilization alternatives analyse different options for press-pulp utilization, and the LCA results show that the environmental profile of the GBR is highly affected by the utilization of the press-pulp and thus by the choice of conventional product replaced by the press-pulp. Furthermore, scenario analysis of different GBR configurations shows that higher benefits can be achieved by increasing product yields rather than lowering energy consumption. Green biorefining is shown to be an interesting biorefining concept, especially in a Danish context. Biorefining of green biomass is technically feasible and can bring environmental savings, when compared to conventional production methods. However, the savings will be determined by the processing involved in each conversion stage and on the cascade utilization of the different platform products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Relevance of the nuclear division cycle to radiosensitivity in yeast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brunborg, G.; Williamson, D.H.

    1978-01-01

    To investigate whether the nuclear division cycle could be related to cycle-specific changes in repair of ionizing radiation damage, we have determined the survival curves after γ-irradiation of samples taken frequently from synchronously dividing cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. Survival was low in G1 and increased during S, reaching a maximum around the end of the S phase, which was maintained in G2. The shape of the survival curves for samples taken from later stages revealed a rapid cycle-specific drop in the radioresistance of individual cells. A simple model was formulated on the assumption that survival is greatly enhanced by the action of an enzymatic repair mechanism which requires duplicated but unsegregated DNA as a substrate. (orig.) [de

  13. Interventions during the problem -solving cycle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schlichter, Bjarne Rerup; Svejvig, Per; Andersen, Povl Erik Rostgaard

    Obtaining business value from IT is a recurring theme that has diffused into healthcare information systems (HIS) where stakeholders often question the value of IT investments. Having completed the implementation of an integrated HIS, the Faroese Health Service (FHS) has commenced discussions...... concerning getting value from their IT investment. In order to fulfill this objective an action research project was started in the fall of 2010 consisting of three cycles: (1) setting the stage for benefit realization; (2) benefit realization in a pilot area; (3) diffusion of benefit realization to other...... areas. The first cycle has revealed that it is not possible to distinguish between working processes and HIS, that benefit realization in healthcare (a public organization) has a much broader perspective than just financial value and that the reaping of benefits is quite difficult. This paper reports...

  14. Blastocyst transfer does not improve cycle outcome as compared to D3 transfer in antagonist cycles with an elevated progesterone level on the day of hCG.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirel, Cem; Aydoğdu, Serkan; Özdemir, Arzu İlknur; Keskin, Gülşah; Baştu, Ercan; Buyru, Faruk

    2017-09-01

    To evaluate the association between progesterone elevation on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration and clinical pregnancy rates of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles with the transfer of embryos at different developmental stages (day-3 versus day-5 ETs). This is a retrospective analysis of fresh IVF/ICSI; 194 cycles out of 2676 conducted in a single center. A total of 2676 cycles were analyzed, of which 386 had no progesterone measurements available. Two hundred eighteen cycles had progesterone elevation (p>1.5 ng/mL) giving an overall incidence of 9.5%. Twenty-four cycles were excluded from further analysis. Of the remaining 194 cycles, 151 had day-3 transfers and 43 had blastocyst transfers. There was no statistically significant difference in pregnancy and clinical pregnancy rates per transfer between the D3-ET and D5-ET groups (46% vs. 49%, and 39% vs. 35%, respectively). The results of this study suggest that blastocyst transfer does not improve cycle outcomes compared with D3 transfer in GnRH antagonist cycles with an elevated progesterone level on the day of hCG.

  15. Environmental impact of a nuclear industry at an early stage of development: peculiar aspects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paschoa, A.S.; Baptista, G.B.

    1978-01-01

    The environmental impact of a nuclear industry at an early stage of development is examined vis-a-vis the experience accumulated in studies on the environmental impact of the nuclear fuel cycle in a developed country. Differences in the optics of the nuclear industry in a developed country and that of segments of the public opinion are briefly discussed. Some peculiar aspects of a nuclear industry being implanted in a developing nation, including adoption of new legislation and regulations, are presented, taking into account the unusual opportunity to attack potential problems in advance. The unique example of the pre-operational survey of a region surrounding a uranium mine in a developing nation is mentioned as an example of cooperation between the nuclear industry and the scientific community to minimize the environmental impact of uranium mining operations. The potential environmental impact of other stages of the nuclear fuel cycle is also examined. Further cooperation between the nuclear industry and the scientific community of Latin American countries is suggested to minimize the environmental impact of the nuclear fuel cycle in nations starting nuclear programs. (author)

  16. The long-term persistence of phytoplankton resting stages in aquatic "seed banks"

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ellegaard, Marianne; Ribeiro, Sofia

    2018-01-01

    to terrestrial seed beds of vascular plants, but are much less studied. It is therefore timely to review the phenomenon of long-term persistence of aquatic resting stages in sediment seed banks. Herein we compare function, morphology and physiology of phytoplankton resting stages to factors central...... for persistence of terrestrial seeds. We review the types of resting stages found in different groups of phytoplankton and focus on the groups for which long-term (multi-decadal) persistence has been shown: dinoflagellates, diatoms, green algae and cyanobacteria. We discuss the metabolism of long-term dormancy......In the past decade, research on long-term persistence of phytoplankton resting stages has intensified. Simultaneously, insight into life-cycle variability in the diverse groups of phytoplankton has also increased. Aquatic 'seed banks' have tremendous significance and show many interesting parallels...

  17. Estimate for interstage water injection in air compressor incorporated into gas-turbine cycles and combined power plants cycles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kler, A. M.; Zakharov, Yu. B.; Potanina, Yu. M.

    2017-05-01

    The objects of study are the gas turbine (GT) plant and combined cycle power plant (CCPP) with opportunity for injection between the stages of air compressor. The objective of this paper is technical and economy optimization calculations for these classes of plants with water interstage injection. The integrated development environment "System of machine building program" was a tool for creating the mathematic models for these classes of power plants. Optimization calculations with the criterion of minimum for specific capital investment as a function of the unit efficiency have been carried out. For a gas-turbine plant, the economic gain from water injection exists for entire range of power efficiency. For the combined cycle plant, the economic benefit was observed only for a certain range of plant's power efficiency.

  18. An approach to incorporate risks into a product's life-cycle assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pirhonen, P.

    1995-01-01

    Life-cycle assessment is usually based on regular discharges that occur at a more or less constant rate. Nevertheless, the more factors that are taken into account in the LCA the better picture it gives on the environmental aspects of a product. In this study an approach to incorporate accidental releases into a products' life-cycle assessment was developed. In this approach accidental releases are divided into two categories. The first category consists of those unplanned releases which occur with a predicted level and frequency. Due to the high frequency and small release size at a time, these accidental releases can be compared to continuous emissions. Their global impacts are studied in this approach. Accidental releases of the second category are sudden, unplanned releases caused by exceptional situations, e.g. technical failure, action error or disturbances in process conditions. These releases have a singular character and local impacts are typical of them. As far as the accidental releases of the second category are concerned, the approach introduced in this study results in a risk value for every stage of a life-cycle, the sum of which is a risk value for the whole life-cycle. Risk value is based on occurrence frequencies of incidents and potential environmental damage caused by releases. Risk value illustrates the level of potential damage caused by accidental releases related to the system under study and is meant to be used for comparison of these levels of two different products. It can also be used to compare the risk levels of different stages of the life-cycle. An approach was illustrated using petrol as an example product. The whole life-cycle of petrol from crude oil production to the consumption of petrol was studied

  19. The Malaria Parasite Cyclin H Homolog PfCyc1 Is Required for Efficient Cytokinesis in Blood-Stage Plasmodium falciparum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robbins, Jonathan A; Absalon, Sabrina; Streva, Vincent A; Dvorin, Jeffrey D

    2017-06-13

    All well-studied eukaryotic cell cycles are driven by cyclins, which activate cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and these protein kinase complexes are viable drug targets. The regulatory control of the Plasmodium falciparum cell division cycle remains poorly understood, and the roles of the various CDKs and cyclins remain unclear. The P. falciparum genome contains multiple CDKs, but surprisingly, it does not contain any sequence-identifiable G 1 -, S-, or M-phase cyclins. We demonstrate that P. falciparum Cyc1 (PfCyc1) complements a G 1 cyclin-depleted Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain and confirm that other identified malaria parasite cyclins do not complement this strain. PfCyc1, which has the highest sequence similarity to the conserved cyclin H, cannot complement a temperature-sensitive yeast cyclin H mutant. Coimmunoprecipitation of PfCyc1 from P. falciparum parasites identifies PfMAT1 and PfMRK as specific interaction partners and does not identify PfPK5 or other CDKs. We then generate an endogenous conditional allele of PfCyc1 in blood-stage P. falciparum using a destabilization domain (DD) approach and find that PfCyc1 is essential for blood-stage proliferation. PfCyc1 knockdown does not impede nuclear division, but it prevents proper cytokinesis. Thus, we demonstrate that PfCyc1 has a functional divergence from bioinformatic predictions, suggesting that the malaria parasite cell division cycle has evolved to use evolutionarily conserved proteins in functionally novel ways. IMPORTANCE Human infection by the eukaryotic parasite Plasmodium falciparum causes malaria. Most well-studied eukaryotic cell cycles are driven by cyclins, which activate cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) to promote essential cell division processes. Remarkably, there are no identifiable cyclins that are predicted to control the cell cycle in the malaria parasite genome. Thus, our knowledge regarding the basic mechanisms of the malaria parasite cell cycle remains unsatisfactory. We

  20. Factors for a successful sales force during the corporate life cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrian Gelu LUPU

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available The organisations, like all living organisms, have a lifecycle and undergo very predictable and repetitive patterns of behaviour as they grow and develop. Although companies devote considerable time and money to managing their sales forces, few focus much on how the sale forces needs to change over the life cycle of an organisation. In this article, the authors explain how, at each stage, company can best tackle the relevant issues and get the most out of their sales forces, how to develop the best sales force structures for each of the four stages of the business life cycle. Specifically, companies must alter four factors over time: the roles that the sales force and selling partners play, the size of the sales force, the sales force’s degree of specialization, and how salespeople apportion their efforts among different customers, products and activities.

  1. Clinical outcome of fresh and vitrified-warmed blastocyst and cleavage-stage embryo transfers in ethnic Chinese ART patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tong Guo

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objectives This study sought to evaluate the outcome of fresh and vitrified-warmed cleavage-stage and blastocyst-stage embryo transfers in patients undergoing ART treatment within an ethnic Chinese population. Study design We compared the clinical results of embryo transfer on the 3rd (cleavage stage or 5th (blastocyst stage day after oocyte retrieval, including clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rates and multiple pregnancy rates. Results Our data showed that blastocyst transfer on day 5 did not significantly increase clinical pregnancy rate (41.07% vs 47.08%, p>0.05 and implantation rate (31.8% vs 31.2%, p>0.05 in patients under 35 years of age, in comparison with day 3 cleavage stage embryo transfer. In patients older than 35 years of age, the clinical pregnancy rate after blastocyst transfer was slightly decreased compared with cleavage stage embryo transfer (33.33% vs 42.31%, p>0.05. Unexpectedly, It was found that vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer resulted in significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate (56.8% and implantation rate (47% compared with fresh blastocyst transfer in controlled stimulation cycles (41.07% and 31.8%, respectively. For patients under 35 years of age, the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate combining fresh and vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles were significantly higher compared to just cleavage-stage embryo transfer (70.1% versus 51.8%, p Conclusions In an ethnic Chinese patient population, fresh blastocyst transfer does not significantly increase clinical pregnancy rate. However, subsequent vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer in a non-controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycle dramatically improves clinical outcomes. Therefore, blastocyst culture in tandem with vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer is recommended as a favourable and promising protocol in human ART treatment, particularly for ethnic Chinese patients.

  2. Clinical outcome of fresh and vitrified-warmed blastocyst and cleavage-stage embryo transfers in ethnic Chinese ART patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, Guo Qing; Cao, Shan Ren; Wu, Xun; Zhang, Jun Qiang; Cui, Ji; Heng, Boon Chin; Ling, Xiu Feng

    2012-10-05

    This study sought to evaluate the outcome of fresh and vitrified-warmed cleavage-stage and blastocyst-stage embryo transfers in patients undergoing ART treatment within an ethnic Chinese population. We compared the clinical results of embryo transfer on the 3rd (cleavage stage) or 5th (blastocyst stage) day after oocyte retrieval, including clinical pregnancy rates, implantation rates and multiple pregnancy rates. Our data showed that blastocyst transfer on day 5 did not significantly increase clinical pregnancy rate (41.07% vs 47.08%, p>0.05) and implantation rate (31.8% vs 31.2%, p>0.05) in patients under 35 years of age, in comparison with day 3 cleavage stage embryo transfer. In patients older than 35 years of age, the clinical pregnancy rate after blastocyst transfer was slightly decreased compared with cleavage stage embryo transfer (33.33% vs 42.31%, p>0.05). Unexpectedly, It was found that vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer resulted in significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate (56.8%) and implantation rate (47%) compared with fresh blastocyst transfer in controlled stimulation cycles (41.07% and 31.8%, respectively). For patients under 35 years of age, the cumulative clinical pregnancy rate combining fresh and vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles were significantly higher compared to just cleavage-stage embryo transfer (70.1% versus 51.8%, p<0.05). However, the cumulative multiple pregnancy rates showed no significant difference between the two groups. In an ethnic Chinese patient population, fresh blastocyst transfer does not significantly increase clinical pregnancy rate. However, subsequent vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer in a non-controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycle dramatically improves clinical outcomes. Therefore, blastocyst culture in tandem with vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer is recommended as a favourable and promising protocol in human ART treatment, particularly for ethnic Chinese patients.

  3. The relationship between growth stages and aroma composition of lemon basil Ocimum citriodorum Vis

    OpenAIRE

    Al-Kateb, H.; DONALD, M.

    2014-01-01

    Plants produce volatiles depending on the season, growth cycle and time of year. Lemon basil “Ocmium basilicum var.citrodorum” possesses three growth stages; pre-flowering, full flowering and post-flowering. The volatiles of lemon basil infusions either increased or decreased throughout the growth cycle. Oxygenated compounds were the predominant class detected. Volatiles such as citral (neral+geranial), eucalyptol and estragole contribute to the flavor profile and may contribute in the plant ...

  4. Utilising the emergency planning cycle for the transport of radioactive material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fox, M.

    2004-01-01

    As a world leader in the transport of radioactive material (RAM) British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) and its subsidiary Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL) recognise the importance of adopting the emergency planning cycle. The emergency response arrangements prepared and maintained in support of the International Transport business have been developed through this cycle to ensure that their emergency response section may achieve its aim and that the business unit is able to respond to any International Transport related incident in a swift, combined and co-ordinated manner. This paper outlines the eight key stages of the planning cycle and the experience that BNFL has gained in respect of its emergency response activities

  5. Organizational Life Cycles and the Development of the National College for School Leadership: An Antipodean View

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulford, Bill

    2004-01-01

    This article employs organizational life cycle, organizational learning stages and group development stages literature to examine my experiences at the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) during its establishment phase. Support was found, and other foci suggested, for this literature. As well, future issues to be faced by the NCSL were…

  6. Simulation and parametric optimisation of thermal power plant cycles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Ravindra Kumar

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the paper is to analyse parametric studies and optimum steam extraction pressures of three different (subcritical, supercritical and ultra-supercritical coal fired power plant cycles at a particular main steam temperature of 600 °C by keeping the reheat temperature at 537 °C and condenser pressure at 0.09 bar as constant. In order to maximize the heat rate gain possible with supercritical and ultra-supercritical steam conditions, eight stages of feed water heater arrangement with single reheater is considered. The system is optimized in such a way that the percentage exergetic losses are reduced for the increase of the exergetic efficiency and higher fuel utilization. The plant cycles are simulated and optimized by using Cycle Tempo 5.0 simulation software tool. From the simulation study, it is observed that the thermal efficiency of the three different power plant cycles obtained as 41.40, 42.48 and 43.03%, respectively. The specific coal consumption for three different power plant cycles are 0.56, 0.55 and 0.54 Tonnes/MWh. The improvement in feed water temperatures at the inlet of steam generator of respective cycles are 291, 305 and 316 °C.

  7. Variation in the stress response between high- and low-neuroticism female undergraduates across the menstrual cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qing; Zhou, Renlai; Oei, Tian P S; Wang, Qingguo; Zhao, Yan; Liu, Yanfeng

    2013-09-01

    This study was undertaken to elucidate possible relationships between menstrual cycle stage, neuroticism and behavioral and physiological responses to a cognitive challenge. The study investigated the differences between high neuroticism and low neuroticism groups across the menstrual cycle (luteal, menstrual and ovulatory stages). The Stroop color-naming task was used as a stressor. During the task, the galvanic skin response (GSR), heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) were simultaneously recorded by a polygraph. The results showed a significant difference in reaction times (RT) on the Stroop task between the high- and low-neuroticism groups during menstruation. However, there were no significant RT differences between groups during the luteal or ovulatory cycle stages. The GSR of the high-neuroticism group during menstruation was significantly lower than it was in the luteal and ovulatory stages. Moreover, during menstruation, the cardiovascular responses (high-frequency HRV (HF) and low-frequency HRV (LF)) and accuracy on the Stroop task were positively correlated, while the correlations between HF, LF and the RT were negative. The results demonstrate that during menstruation, there were consistent variations in female behavior and physiology when facing a cognitive stressor. Specifically, the high-neuroticism group was more sensitive to the stressor than the low neuroticism group, with decreased reaction time on the Stroop task, and increased GSR and HRV.

  8. The precambrian crustal evolution and mineralization cycle of uranium in the northeast of norern China platform

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo Zhitian.

    1986-01-01

    According to the evolution history of the crust the region is divided into three Precambrian structural structural units: (1) Archaean craton; (2) Early Proterozoic zone of fold; (3) Middle-late Proterozoic depression zone. The Archaean-craton mainly consists of granite complex and metasediments. They form the first generation of uranium sources. Proterozoic is characterized by the obvious cycle of sedimentation which consists of the second generation of uranium source. There were multiplestage and congenetic nature in the formation of uranium deposit. The mineralization of uranium coincides with geotectonicdeveloping stage -- igneous activity -- metamorphism in their time. The formation of uranium deposits generally underwent the weathering and erosion of original uraniferous bodies-the migration, redeposition and reformed concentration by metamorphism and metamorphosed hydrothermal solution, and the mineralization was not only of intermittence, but also of inheritance. The evolutional process of forming uranium deposits undergoing various geological function of a structural cycle in the uranium geochemical anomalous area is called uranium mineralizational cycle. The Northeast of Northern China Platform had undergone multiple times structural movements causing migration and concentration of uranium and having mutiple cycle mineralizational character. Corresponding to the three main developing stages of the crustal evolution the Precambrian uranium mineralization in the Northeast of northern China platform area may be divided into three cycles: Late Archaeozoic mineralizational cycle, Early Proterozoic mineralizational cycle, and Middle Proterozoic mineralizational cycle. It is possible to search for potential uranium metallogenetic provinces to study the crustal evolution and the multiple cycle characters of uranium minerogenetic process in the Northern China platform

  9. Total energy cycle assessment of electric and conventional vehicles: an energy and environmental analysis. Volume 1: technical report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cuenca, R.; Formento, J.; Gaines, L.; Marr, B.; Santini, D.; Wang, M. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Adelman, S.; Kline, D.; Mark, J.; Ohi, J.; Rau, N. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); Freeman, S.; Humphreys, K.; Placet, M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

    1998-01-01

    This report compares the energy use, oil use and emissions of electric vehicles (EVs) with those of conventional, gasoline-powered vehicles (CVs) over the total life cycle of the vehicles. The various stages included in the vehicles` life cycles include vehicle manufacture, fuel production, and vehicle operation. Disposal is not included. An inventory of the air emissions associated with each stage of the life cycle is estimated. Water pollutants and solid wastes are reported for individual processes, but no comprehensive inventory is developed. Volume I contains the major results, a discussion of the conceptual framework of the study, and summaries of the vehicle, utility, fuel production, and manufacturing analyses. It also contains summaries of comments provided by external peer reviewers and brief responses to these comments.

  10. Stable Density and Dynamics of Dendritic Spines of Cortical Neurons Across the Estrous Cycle While Expressing Differential Levels of Sensory-Evoked Plasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bailin H. Alexander

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Periodic oscillations of gonadal hormone levels during the estrous cycle exert effects on the female brain, impacting cognition and behavior. While previous research suggests that changes in hormone levels across the cycle affect dendritic spine dynamics in the hippocampus, little is known about the effects on cortical dendritic spines and previous studies showed contradictory results. In this in vivo imaging study, we investigated the impact of the estrous cycle on the density and dynamics of dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex of mice. We also examined if the induction of synaptic plasticity during proestrus, estrus, and metestrus/diestrus had differential effects on the degree of remodeling of synapses in this brain area. We used chronic two-photon excitation (2PE microscopy during steady-state conditions and after evoking synaptic plasticity by whisker stimulation at the different stages of the cycle. We imaged apical dendritic tufts of layer 5 pyramidal neurons of naturally cycling virgin young female mice. Spine density, turnover rate (TOR, survival fraction, morphology, and volume of mushroom spines remained unaltered across the estrous cycle, and the values of these parameters were comparable with those of young male mice. However, while whisker stimulation of female mice during proestrus and estrus resulted in increases in the TOR of spines (74.2 ± 14.9% and 75.1 ± 12.7% vs. baseline, respectively, sensory-evoked plasticity was significantly lower during metestrus/diestrus (32.3 ± 12.8%. In males, whisker stimulation produced 46.5 ± 20% increase in TOR compared with baseline—not significantly different from female mice at any stage of the cycle. These results indicate that, while steady-state density and dynamics of dendritic spines of layer 5 pyramidal neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex of female mice are constant during the estrous cycle, the susceptibility of these neurons to

  11. Identification of Cell Cycle-Regulated Genes by Convolutional Neural Network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chenglin; Cui, Peng; Huang, Tao

    2017-01-01

    The cell cycle-regulated genes express periodically with the cell cycle stages, and the identification and study of these genes can provide a deep understanding of the cell cycle process. Large false positives and low overlaps are big problems in cell cycle-regulated gene detection. Here, a computational framework called DLGene was proposed for cell cycle-regulated gene detection. It is based on the convolutional neural network, a deep learning algorithm representing raw form of data pattern without assumption of their distribution. First, the expression data was transformed to categorical state data to denote the changing state of gene expression, and four different expression patterns were revealed for the reported cell cycle-regulated genes. Then, DLGene was applied to discriminate the non-cell cycle gene and the four subtypes of cell cycle genes. Its performances were compared with six traditional machine learning methods. At last, the biological functions of representative cell cycle genes for each subtype are analyzed. Our method showed better and more balanced performance of sensitivity and specificity comparing to other machine learning algorithms. The cell cycle genes had very different expression pattern with non-cell cycle genes and among the cell-cycle genes, there were four subtypes. Our method not only detects the cell cycle genes, but also describes its expression pattern, such as when its highest expression level is reached and how it changes with time. For each type, we analyzed the biological functions of the representative genes and such results provided novel insight to the cell cycle mechanisms. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  12. Monopolistic Competition, International Trade and Firm Heterogeneity - a Life Cycle Perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Jørgen Drud; Kvedaras, Virmantas; Nielsen, Jørgen Ulff-Møller

    This paper presents a dynamic international trade model based on monopolistic competition, where observed intra-industry differences at a given point in time reflect different stages of the firm's life cycle. New product varieties of still higher quality enter the market every period rendering old...

  13. Environmental impact of nuclear fuel cycle operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilkinson, W.L.

    1989-09-01

    This paper considers the environmental impact of nuclear fuel cycle operations, particularly those operated by British Nuclear Fuels plc, which include uranium conversion, fuel fabrication, uranium enrichment, irradiated fuel transport and storage, reprocessing, uranium recycle and waste treatment and disposal. Quantitative assessments have been made of the impact of the liquid and gaseous discharges to the environment from all stages in the fuel cycle. An upper limit to the possible health effects is readily obtained using the codified recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. This contrasts with the lack of knowledge concerning the health effects of many other pollutants, including those resulting from the burning of fossil fuels. Most of the liquid and gaseous discharges result at the reprocessing stage and although their impact on the environment and on human health is small, they have given rise to much public concern. Reductions in discharges at Sellafield over the last few years have been quite dramatic, which shows what can be done provided the necessary very large investment is undertaken. The cost-effectiveness of this investment must be considered. Some of it has gone beyond the point of justification in terms of health benefit, having been undertaken in response to public and political pressure, some of it on an international scale. The potential for significant off-site impact from accidents in the fuel cycle has been quantitatively assessed and shown to be very limited. Waste disposal will also have an insignificant impact in terms of risk. It is also shown that it is insignificant in relation to terrestrial radioactivity and therefore in relation to the human environment. 14 refs, 5 figs, 2 tabs

  14. Life cycle assessment of Mexican polymer and high-durability cotton paper banknotes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luján-Ornelas, Cristina; Mancebo Del C Sternenfels, Uriel; Güereca, Leonor Patricia

    2018-02-23

    This study compares the environmental performance of Mexican banknotes printed on high-durability cotton paper (HD paper) and thermoplastic polymer (polymer) through a life cycle assessment to appraise the environmental impacts from the extraction of raw materials to the final disposal of the banknotes. The functional unit was defined considering the next parameters: 1) lifespan of the banknotes, stablished in 31.5 and 54months for HD paper and polymer, respectively; 2) denomination, selecting $200 pesos banknotes; 3) a 5year time frame and 4) a defined amount of money, in this case stablished as the monthly cash supply of an average Mexican household, equaling $12,708 pesos. Accordingly, 121 pieces for the HD paper and 71 pieces for the polymer banknotes were analyzed. The results favor the banknotes printed on polymer substrate primarily because of the longer lifespan of this type of material; however, there is a considerable environmental impact in the stages of distribution, followed by the extraction of the raw materials (crude oil) during manufacturing. Regarding the HD cotton paper, the major impact corresponds to extraction of the raw materials, followed by the distribution of the banknotes. The inclusion of the automatic teller machines (ATMs) in the life cycle assessment of banknotes shows that the electricity required by these devices became the largest contributor to the environmental impacts. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis that the average lifetime of the banknotes is a determining factor for the environmental impacts associated with the whole life cycle of this product. The life cycle stages that refer to the extraction of the raw materials, combined with the average lifetime of the banknotes and the electricity required during the usage stage, are determining factors in the total environmental impact associated with Mexican banknotes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. A novel genetic technique in Plasmodium berghei allows liver stage analysis of genes required for mosquito stage development and demonstrates that de novo heme synthesis is essential for liver stage development in the malaria parasite.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Upeksha L Rathnapala

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The combination of drug resistance, lack of an effective vaccine, and ongoing conflict and poverty means that malaria remains a major global health crisis. Understanding metabolic pathways at all parasite life stages is important in prioritising and targeting novel anti-parasitic compounds. The unusual heme synthesis pathway of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei, requires eight enzymes distributed across the mitochondrion, apicoplast and cytoplasm. Deletion of the ferrochelatase (FC gene, the final enzyme in the pathway, confirms that heme synthesis is not essential in the red blood cell stages of the life cycle but is required to complete oocyst development in mosquitoes. The lethality of FC deletions in the mosquito stage makes it difficult to study the impact of these mutations in the subsequent liver stage. To overcome this, we combined locus-specific fluorophore expression with a genetic complementation approach to generate viable, heterozygous oocysts able to produce a mix of FC expressing and FC deficient sporozoites. These sporozoites show normal motility and can invade liver cells, where FC deficient parasites can be distinguished by fluorescence and phenotyped. Parasites lacking FC exhibit a severe growth defect within liver cells, with development failure detectable in the early to mid stages of liver development in vitro. FC deficient parasites could not complete liver stage development in vitro nor infect naïve mice, confirming liver stage arrest. These results validate the heme pathway as a potential target for prophylactic drugs targeting liver stage parasites. In addition, we demonstrate that our simple genetic approach can extend the phenotyping window beyond the insect stages, opening considerable scope for straightforward reverse genetic analysis of genes that are dispensable in blood stages but essential for completing mosquito development.

  16. A novel genetic technique in Plasmodium berghei allows liver stage analysis of genes required for mosquito stage development and demonstrates that de novo heme synthesis is essential for liver stage development in the malaria parasite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rathnapala, Upeksha L; Goodman, Christopher D; McFadden, Geoffrey I

    2017-06-01

    The combination of drug resistance, lack of an effective vaccine, and ongoing conflict and poverty means that malaria remains a major global health crisis. Understanding metabolic pathways at all parasite life stages is important in prioritising and targeting novel anti-parasitic compounds. The unusual heme synthesis pathway of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei, requires eight enzymes distributed across the mitochondrion, apicoplast and cytoplasm. Deletion of the ferrochelatase (FC) gene, the final enzyme in the pathway, confirms that heme synthesis is not essential in the red blood cell stages of the life cycle but is required to complete oocyst development in mosquitoes. The lethality of FC deletions in the mosquito stage makes it difficult to study the impact of these mutations in the subsequent liver stage. To overcome this, we combined locus-specific fluorophore expression with a genetic complementation approach to generate viable, heterozygous oocysts able to produce a mix of FC expressing and FC deficient sporozoites. These sporozoites show normal motility and can invade liver cells, where FC deficient parasites can be distinguished by fluorescence and phenotyped. Parasites lacking FC exhibit a severe growth defect within liver cells, with development failure detectable in the early to mid stages of liver development in vitro. FC deficient parasites could not complete liver stage development in vitro nor infect naïve mice, confirming liver stage arrest. These results validate the heme pathway as a potential target for prophylactic drugs targeting liver stage parasites. In addition, we demonstrate that our simple genetic approach can extend the phenotyping window beyond the insect stages, opening considerable scope for straightforward reverse genetic analysis of genes that are dispensable in blood stages but essential for completing mosquito development.

  17. Life Cycle Assessment of two Electrolux electric cookers: ELK8200AL and EKV5600

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Morten Søes; Wenzel, Henrik; Frees, Niels

    A life cycle assessment of two electrical cookers was made for the company Electrolux A/S. A number of valid conclusions can be drawn from the study. The conclusions are supported by a sensitivity analysis covering essential parameter variations and showing that quite robust conclusions can...... issue for the resource consumption of the cookers over their life cycle • Transportation of the cookers over their life cycle is insignificant Environmentally, the main perspectives for improvements lie in the optimisation of the use stage, including better efficiency in transformation of the energy...

  18. Complex offspring size effects: variations across life stages and between species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Zhao; Hamel, Jean-François; Parrish, Christopher C; Mercier, Annie

    2015-03-01

    Classical optimality models of offspring size and number assume a monotonically increasing relationship between offspring size and performance. In aquatic organisms with complex life cycles, the size-performance function is particularly hard to grasp because measures of performance are varied and their relationships with size may not be consistent throughout early ontogeny. Here, we examine size effects in premetamorphic (larval) and postmetamorphic (juvenile) stages of brooding marine animals and show that they vary contextually in strength and direction during ontogeny and among species. Larger offspring of the sea anemone Urticina felina generally outperformed small siblings at the larval stage (i.e., greater settlement and survival rates under suboptimal conditions). However, results differed when analyses were conducted at the intrabrood versus across-brood levels, suggesting that the relationship between larval size and performance is mediated by parentage. At the juvenile stage (15 months), small offspring were less susceptible than large ones to predation by subadult nudibranchs and both sizes performed similarly when facing adult nudibranchs. In a sympatric species with a different life history (Aulactinia stella), all juveniles suffered similar predation rates by subadult nudibranchs, but smaller juveniles performed better (lower mortalities) when facing adult nudibranchs. Size differences in premetamorphic performance of U. felina were linked to total lipid contents of larvae, whereas size-specific predation of juvenile stages followed the general predictions of the optimal foraging strategy. These findings emphasize the challenge in gathering empirical support for a positive monotonic size-performance function in taxa that exhibit complex life cycles, which are dominant in the sea.

  19. One physical educator's career cycle: strong start, great run, approaching finish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Amelia Mays; Lynn, Susan K

    2014-03-01

    This article is nested within a longitudinal project examining 6 teachers' journeys along their career cycles (Lynn & Woods, 2010; Woods & Earls, 1995; Woods & Lynn, 2001). Two participants from the initial 6 continue to teach K-12 physical education; 1 of these participants, Everett, is examined in the current study. This veteran teacher's career-cycle movement and the environmental factors that both enhanced and constrained his career development are examined through the lens of Fessler and Christensen's career cycle model (1992). Data sources included: 8 formal interviews with Everett; formal interviews with his university teacher educators, student-teacher supervisor, principal, and spouse; informal interviews; field notes; and systematic teaching observations. An interpretative framework was used to assess the perceptions and meanings Everett gave to experiences as a physical educator and coach. Several factors acutely influenced Everett's career progression, including: (a) his individual disposition, (b) the impact and continued influence of a professional preparation program, and (c) his school and community support. He entered the profession with great promise and spent most of his career in the enthusiastic and growing, and the career stability, stages before shifting into the career frustration stage where he currently remains. Everett was able to negotiate personal and organizational environmental factors that have been identified as barriers for some physical educators. Therefore, viewing his professional life through the lens of the career cycle provides insights into the areas of change necessary to motivate and retain high-quality physical educators such as Everett.

  20. Total energy cycle assessment of electric and conventional vehicles: an energy and environmental analysis. Volume 2: appendices A-D to technical report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-01-01

    This report compares the energy use, oil use and emissions of electric vehicles (EVs) with those of conventional, gasoline- powered vehicles (CVs) over the total life cycle of the vehicles. The various stages included in the vehicles` life cycles include vehicle manufacture, fuel production, and vehicle operation. Disposal is not included. An inventory of the air emissions associated with each stage of the life cycle is estimated. Water pollutants and solid wastes are reported for individual processes, but no comprehensive inventory is developed. Volume II contains additional details on the vehicle, utility, and materials analyses and discusses several details of the methodology.

  1. Total energy cycle assessment of electric and conventional vehicles: an energy and environmental analysis. Volume 4: peer review comments on technical report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-01-01

    This report compares the energy use, oil use and emissions of electric vehicles (EVs) with those of conventional, gasoline-powered vehicles (CVs) over the total life cycle of the vehicles. The various stages included in the vehicles` life cycles include vehicle manufacture, fuel production, and vehicle operation. Disposal is not included. An inventory of the air emissions associated with each stage of the life cycle is estimated. Water pollutants and solid wastes are reported for individual processes, but no comprehensive inventory is developed. Volume IV includes copies of all the external peer review comments on the report distributed for review in July 1997.

  2. Effectively Serving the Needs of Today's Business Student: The Product Life Cycle Approach to Class Organization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eastman, Jacqueline K.; Aviles, Maria; Hanna, Mark

    2012-01-01

    We illustrate a class organization process utilizing the concept of the Product Life Cycle to meet the needs of today's millennial student. In the Introduction stage of a business course, professors need to build structure to encourage commitment. In the Growth stage, professors need to promote the structure through multiple, brief activities that…

  3. Analysis of transition to fuel cycle system with continuous recycling in fast and thermal reactors - 5060

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Passereini, S.; Feng, B.; Fei, T.; Kim, T.K.; Taiwo, T.A.; Brown, N.R.; Cuadra, A.

    2015-01-01

    A recent Evaluation and Screening study of nuclear fuel cycle options identified a few groups of options as most promising. One of these most promising Evaluation Groups (EGs) is characterized by the continuous recycling of uranium (U) and transuranics (TRU) with natural uranium feed in both fast and thermal critical reactors. This evaluation group, designated as EG30, is represented by an example fuel cycle option that employs a two-technology, two-stage fuel cycle system. The first stage involves the continuous recycling of co-extracted U/TRU in Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFRs) with metallic fuel and breeding ratio greater than 1. The second stage involves the use of the surplus TRU in Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel in Pressurized Water Reactors that are MOX-capable (MOX-PWRs). This paper presents and discusses preliminary fuel cycle analysis results from the fuel cycle codes VISION and DYMOND for the transition to this fuel cycle option from the current once-through cycle in the United States (U.S.) that consists of Light Water Reactors (LWRs) that only use conventional UO 2 fuel. The analyses in this paper are applicable for a constant 100 GWe capacity, roughly the size of the U.S. nuclear fleet. Two main strategies for the transition to EG30 were analyzed: 1) deploying both SFRs and MOX-PWRs in parallel or 2) deploying them in series with the SFR fleet first. With an estimated retirement schedule for the existing LWRs, an assumed reactor lifetime of 60 years, and no growth, the nuclear system fully transitions to the new fuel cycle within 100 years for both strategies without SFR fuel shortages. Compared to the once-through cycle, transition to the SFR/MOX-PWR fleet with continuous recycle was shown to offer significant reductions in uranium consumption and waste disposal requirements. In addition, these initial calculations revealed a few notable modeling and strategy questions regarding how recycled resources are allocated, reactors that can switch between

  4. Oil flooded compression cycle enhancement for two-stage heat pump in cold climate region: System design and theoretical analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Baojun

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • COP of proposed system improves up to 17.2% compared with vapor injection cycle. • Discharge temperature of proposed system is largely decreased. • Proposed system is beneficial for refrigerant with high compression heat. • Proposed system has potential for applications in cold climate heat pump. - Abstract: In order to improve the performance of air source heat pump in cold climate region, a combined oil flooded compression with regenerator and vapor injection cycle system is suggested in this paper, which integrates oil flooded compression with regenerator into a conventional vapor injection cycle. A mathematical model is developed and parametric studies on this cycle are conducted to evaluate the benefits of the novel system. The performances of the novel system using R410A and R32 are compared with those of vapor injection cycle system. The improvement of coefficient of performance (COP) can reach up to nearly 9% based on the same isentropic efficiency, while 17.2% based on assumption that there is a 10% rise in isentropic efficiency brought by oil flooded compression cycle. The heating capacity is reduced by 8–18% based on the same volumetric efficiency, while could be less than 10% in a practical system. The discharge temperature is largely decreased and can be below 100 °C at −40 °C T_e and 50 °C T_c condition for R32. The theoretical results demonstrate this novel heat pump has a high potential for improving the performance of air source heat pump in cold climate region.

  5. Copper oxide--copper sulfate water-splitting cycle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Foh, S. E.; Schreiber, J. D.; Dafler, J. R.

    1978-08-01

    A hybrid copper oxide--copper sulfate thermochemical water-splitting cycle, IGT's H-5, has been demonstrated in the laboratory with recycled materials. The optimum configuration and operating conditions for the electrolytic hydrogen-producing step have not yet been defined. With cooperative funding (A.G.A./G.R.I./DOE) a conceptual flowsheet was developed for this cycle and a load-line efficiency of about 37% calculated. This figure is the result of a single iteration on the original base case flow sheet and compares well with the values calculated for other processes at this stage of development. An iterative optimization of process conditions would improve efficiency. The data required to perform an economic analysis are not yet available and the electrolysis step must be more fully defined. An attractive process efficiency, relatively few corrosive materials, and few gas-phase separations are attributes of Cycle H-5 that lead us to believe hydrogen costs (to be developed during future analyses) would be improved significantly over similar processes analyzed to date.

  6. Nuclear reprogramming: kinetics of cell cycle and metabolic progression as determinants of success.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian Thomas Balbach

    Full Text Available Establishment of totipotency after somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT requires not only reprogramming of gene expression, but also conversion of the cell cycle from quiescence to the precisely timed sequence of embryonic cleavage. Inadequate adaptation of the somatic nucleus to the embryonic cell cycle regime may lay the foundation for NT embryo failure and their reported lower cell counts. We combined bright field and fluorescence imaging of histone H(2b-GFP expressing mouse embryos, to record cell divisions up to the blastocyst stage. This allowed us to quantitatively analyze cleavage kinetics of cloned embryos and revealed an extended and inconstant duration of the second and third cell cycles compared to fertilized controls generated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI. Compared to fertilized embryos, slow and fast cleaving NT embryos presented similar rates of errors in M phase, but were considerably less tolerant to mitotic errors and underwent cleavage arrest. Although NT embryos vary substantially in their speed of cell cycle progression, transcriptome analysis did not detect systematic differences between fast and slow NT embryos. Profiling of amino acid turnover during pre-implantation development revealed that NT embryos consume lower amounts of amino acids, in particular arginine, than fertilized embryos until morula stage. An increased arginine supplementation enhanced development to blastocyst and increased embryo cell numbers. We conclude that a cell cycle delay, which is independent of pluripotency marker reactivation, and metabolic restraints reduce cell counts of NT embryos and impede their development.

  7. Life-cycle air emissions from PV power systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watt, M.E.; Johnson, A.J.; Outhred, H.R.; Ellis, M.

    1998-01-01

    This paper addresses the air emission of grid supply versus grid-connected and off-grid photovoltaic power generation, using the framework of life-cycle assessment, in the contents of rural household energy supply in Australia. Emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxde and nitrous oxides are calculated for the three life-cycle stages of manufacture, use and disposal. Sensitivities to materials and data inputs, as well as to component efficiencies, lifetimes and sizing are discussed. For each supply option, demand management options, including insulation and appliance choice, and the substitution of solar heating or bottled gas for electricity are considered. The best option in all cases, in terms of life-cycle air emissions, is a grid-connected photovoltaic system used to supply an energy-efficient household with a mix of solar, gas and electric appliances. However, in financial terms, with current Australian energy prices, this option represents a high capital and life-cycle costs. Additionally, for the grid options, electricity costs do not significantly disadvantage the high demand scenarios. Both results provide a clear illustration of current Australian energy-pricing policies being in conflict with long-term environmental sustainability. (Author)

  8. Feasibility of Ericsson type isothermal expansion/compression gas turbine cycle for nuclear energy use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimizu, Akihiko

    2007-01-01

    A gas turbine with potential demand for the next generation nuclear energy use such as HTGR power plants, a gas cooled FBR, a gas cooled nuclear fusion reactor uses helium as working gas and with a closed cycle. Materials constituting a cycle must be set lower than allowable temperature in terms of mechanical strength and radioactivity containment performance and so expansion inlet temperature is remarkably limited. For thermal efficiency improvement, isothermal expansion/isothermal compression Ericsson type gas turbine cycle should be developed using wet surface of an expansion/compressor casing and a duct between stators without depending on an outside heat exchanger performing multistage re-heat/multistage intermediate cooling. Feasibility of an Ericsson cycle in comparison with a Brayton cycle and multi-stage compression/expansion cycle was studied and technologies to be developed were clarified. (author)

  9. The deformation record of olivine in mylonitic peridotites from the Finero Complex, Ivrea Zone: Separate deformation cycles during exhumation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matysiak, Agnes K.; Trepmann, Claudia A.

    2015-12-01

    Mylonitic peridotites from the Finero complex are investigated to detect characteristic olivine microfabrics that can resolve separate deformation cycles at different metamorphic conditions. The heterogeneous olivine microstructures are characterized by deformed porphyroclasts surrounded by varying amounts of recrystallized grains. A well-developed but only locally preserved foam structure is present in recrystallized grain aggregates. This indicates an early stage of dynamic recrystallization and subsequent recovery and recrystallization at quasi-static stress conditions, where the strain energy was reduced such that a reduction in surface energy controlled grain boundary migration. Ultramylonites record a renewed stage of localized deformation and recrystallization by a second generation of recrystallized grains that do not show a foam structure. This second generation of recrystallized grains as well as sutured grain and kink band boundaries of porphyroclasts indicate that these microstructures developed during a stage of localized deformation after development of the foam structure. The heterogeneity of the microfabrics is interpreted to represent several (at least two) cycles of localized deformation separated by a marked hiatus with quasi-static recrystallization and recovery and eventually grain growth. The second deformation cycle did not only result in reactivation of preexisting shear zones but instead also locally affected the host rock that was not deformed in the first stage. Such stress cycles can result from sudden increases in differential stress imposed by seismic events, i.e., high stress-loading rates, during exhumation of the Finero complex.

  10. Life Cycle CO2 Assessment by Block Type Changes of Apartment Housing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheonghoon Baek

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The block type and structural systems in buildings affect the amount of building materials required as well as the CO2 emissions that occur throughout the building life cycle (LCCO2. The purpose of this study was to assess the life cycle CO2 emissions when an apartment housing with ‘flat-type’ blocks (the reference case was replaced with more sustainable ‘T-type’ blocks with fewer CO2 emissions (the alternative case maintaining the same total floor area. The quantity of building materials used and building energy simulations were analyzed for each block type using building information modeling techniques, and improvements in LCCO2 emission were calculated by considering high-strength concrete alternatives. By changing the bearing wall system of the ‘flat-type’ block to the ‘column and beam’ system of the ‘T-type’ block, LCCO2 emissions of the alternative case were 4299 kg-CO2/m2, of which 26% was at the construction stage, 73% was as the operational stage and 1% was at the dismantling and disposal stage. These total LCCO2 emissions were 30% less than the reference case.

  11. Effect of water availability in opening containers of breeding site on Aedes aegypti life cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokachil, Najir; Yusoff, Nuraini; Saaid, Alif; Appandi, Najwa; Harun, Farhana

    2017-11-01

    The distribution of rainfall is one of the factors which contribute to the development of Aedes aegypti life cycle. The fluctuation of rainfall might influence the acceleration of Aedes aegypti growth by providing sufficient breeding sites. In this research, the availability of water in an opening container of the breeding site is considered as a significant variable which affects the distinct stages structure in mosquito life cycle which egg, larva, pupa, and adult. A stage-structured Lefkovitch matrix model was used by considering the quantity of water contains in an opening container and life cycle of Aedes aegypti. The maximum depth of water in the container was also taken into account in order to find the time duration of mosquito life cycle to complete. We found that the maximum depth of water availability in mosquito breeding site influenced the abundance of the mosquito population. Hence, the containers are filled with sufficient water be able to stand from hot temperature for several days before drying out might continue to provide mosquito breeding site. In the future, it is recommended to consider other factors which affect the quantity of water in mosquito breeding sites such as heavy rain and wind blows.

  12. Identification and functional characterization of effectors in expressed sequence tags from various life cycle stages of the potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, John T; Kumar, Amar; Pylypenko, Liliya A; Thirugnanasambandam, Amarnath; Castelli, Lydia; Chapman, Sean; Cock, Peter J A; Grenier, Eric; Lilley, Catherine J; Phillips, Mark S; Blok, Vivian C

    2009-11-01

    In this article, we describe the analysis of over 9000 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from cDNA libraries obtained from various life cycle stages of Globodera pallida. We have identified over 50 G. pallida effectors from this dataset using bioinformatics analysis, by screening clones in order to identify secreted proteins up-regulated after the onset of parasitism and using in situ hybridization to confirm the expression in pharyngeal gland cells. A substantial gene family encoding G. pallida SPRYSEC proteins has been identified. The expression of these genes is restricted to the dorsal pharyngeal gland cell. Different members of the SPRYSEC family of proteins from G. pallida show different subcellular localization patterns in plants, with some localized to the cytoplasm and others to the nucleus and nucleolus. Differences in subcellular localization may reflect diverse functional roles for each individual protein or, more likely, variety in the compartmentalization of plant proteins targeted by the nematode. Our data are therefore consistent with the suggestion that the SPRYSEC proteins suppress host defences, as suggested previously, and that they achieve this through interaction with a range of host targets.

  13. Processes affecting altitudinal distribution of invasive Ageratina adenophora in western Himalaya: The role of local adaptation and the importance of different life-cycle stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Datta, Arunava; Kühn, Ingolf; Ahmad, Mustaqeem; Michalski, Stefan; Auge, Harald

    2017-01-01

    The spread of invasive plants along elevational gradients is considered a threat to fragile mountain ecosystems, but it can also provide the opportunity to better understand some of the basic processes driving the success of invasive species. Ageratina adenophora (Asteraceae) is an invasive plant of global importance and has a broad distribution along elevational gradients in the Western Himalayas. Our study aimed at understanding the role of evolutionary processes (e.g. local adaptation and clinal differentiation) and different life history stages in shaping the distribution pattern of the invasive plant along an elevational gradient in the Western Himalaya. We carried out extensive distributional surveys, established a reciprocal transplant experiment with common gardens at three elevational levels, and measured a suite of traits related to germination, growth, reproduction and phenology. Our results showed a lack of local adaptation, and we did not find any evidence for clinal differentiation in any measured trait except a rather weak signal for plant height. We found that seed germination was the crucial life-cycle transition in determining the lower range limit while winter mortality of plants shaped the upper range limit in our study area, thus explaining the hump shaped distribution pattern. Differences in trait values between gardens for most traits indicated a high degree of phenotypic plasticity. Possible causes such as apomixis, seed dispersal among sites, and pre-adaptation might have confounded evolutionary processes to act upon. Our results suggest that the success and spread of Ageratina adenophora are dependent on different life history stages at different elevations that are controlled by abiotic conditions.

  14. Procyclic Trypanosoma brucei do not use Krebs cycle activity for energy generation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weelden, van S.W.H.; Fast, B.; Vogt, A.; Meer, van der P.; Saas, J.; Hellemond, van J.J.; Tielens, A.G.M.; Boshart, M.

    2003-01-01

    The importance of a functional Krebs cycle for energy generation in the procyclic stage of Trypanosoma brucei was investigated under physiological conditions during logarithmic phase growth of a pleomorphic parasite strain. Wild type procyclic cells and mutants with targeted deletion of the gene

  15. Studies on the life cycle and morphometrics of honeybees, Apis ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The life cycle of the honeybee, Apis mellifera adansonii, was studied in mangrove area by monitoring the developmental stages and morphology of the castes. It was observed that the fate of the eggs were predetermined at the onset leading to drones, queens or workers. It was also established that the three different castes ...

  16. Exergetic optimization of the part-flow evaporative gas turbine cycles. Paper no. IGEC-1-ID23

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yari, M.; Sarabch, K.

    2005-01-01

    The evaporative gas turbine cycle is a new high efficiency power cycle that has reached the pilot plant testing stage. The latest configuration proposed for this cycle is known as part flow evaporative gas turbine cycle (PEvGT) in which humidification is combined with steam injection. Having advantages of both steam injected and humid air cycles, it is regarded as a very desirable plant for future. In this paper the exergy equations have been added to the mathematical model. Then exergy analysis and optimization of the PEvGT cycles: PEvGT and PEvGT-IC have been done. This study show that the maximum exergy destruction rate related to combustion chamber in both cycles. The exergetic optimization shows, the maximum first and second efficiency occur in the highest values of part-flow humidification rate. (author)

  17. Genetic Investigation of Tricarboxylic Acid Metabolism during the Plasmodium falciparum Life Cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hangjun Ke

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available New antimalarial drugs are urgently needed to control drug-resistant forms of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Mitochondrial electron transport is the target of both existing and new antimalarials. Herein, we describe 11 genetic knockout (KO lines that delete six of the eight mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA cycle enzymes. Although all TCA KOs grew normally in asexual blood stages, these metabolic deficiencies halted life-cycle progression in later stages. Specifically, aconitase KO parasites arrested as late gametocytes, whereas α-ketoglutarate-dehydrogenase-deficient parasites failed to develop oocysts in the mosquitoes. Mass spectrometry analysis of 13C-isotope-labeled TCA mutant parasites showed that P. falciparum has significant flexibility in TCA metabolism. This flexibility manifested itself through changes in pathway fluxes and through altered exchange of substrates between cytosolic and mitochondrial pools. Our findings suggest that mitochondrial metabolic plasticity is essential for parasite development.

  18. Life cycle and spring phenology of Temora longicornis in the Baltic Sea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dutz, Jörg; Mohrholz, V.; van Beusekom, J. E. E.

    2010-01-01

    The seasonal variation in abundance, biomass and vertical distribution of nauplii and copepodites of Temora longicornis in the Bornholm Basin was studied from March 2002 to May 2003 to understand the overwintering, spring development and life cycle of this species in the Baltic Sea. The analysis...... of the life cycle by means of stage structure, copepodite length and stage duration revealed that T. longicornis produced 5 to 6 generations yr–1. The species overwintered in low abundance as an active, slowly developing generation with adults appearing from February/March onwards. The onset of the spring...... bloom in April triggered reproduction and initiated the first spring generation (G1) with a strong rise in nauplii abundance. The stock biomass increased in May with the occurrence of the copepodites of G1 and remained high during the succeeding generations G2 and G3 until August. The stock...

  19. European Management Learning: A Cross-Cultural Interpretation of Kolb's Learning Cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Terence

    1995-01-01

    A survey of a French business school with multinational branch campuses received 123 usable responses supporting the proposition that cross-cultural differences exist within each of Kolb's learning cycle stages. National profiles of learning preferences were developed for French, German, Spanish, Anglo-Irish, and Eastern European learners. (SK)

  20. Wastes and waste management in the uranium fuel cycle for light water reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Costello, J.M.

    1975-08-01

    The manufacturing processes in the uranium fuel cycle for light water reactors have been described with particular reference to the chemical and radiological wastes produced and the waste management procedures employed. The problems and possible solutions of ultimate disposal of high activity fission products and transuranium elements from reprocessing of irradiated fuel have been reviewed. Quantities of wastes arising in each stage of the fuel cycle have been summarised. Wastes arising from reactor operation have been described briefly. (author)